Moments of Truth
by Jade2099
Summary: Annie Walker had never lied to Auggie Anderson before...until now.  When a mission goes South, Annie comes to realize that life is just too short not to say those words.
1. Chapter 1  One Last Breath

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** This is my first Covert Affairs fic and I hope you enjoy it. This is a multi-chapter fic so don't worry! All will be revealed. Music plays a big part in my writing and the chapter titles reflect the name of the song that inspired me at the time. I hope you enjoy this one! I enjoyed writing it! Feedback is always welcome! For those of you who have read this chapter previously...I've added a few things and edited it further. It doesn't change the outcome, but hopefully makes it even better.

**Chapter 1: One Last Breath**

_**Thirty Six Hours Ago…**_

Agreeing to come to Afghanistan to draw out Ben Mercer was probably one of the most idiotic, harebrained decisions that Annie Walker had made in her relatively young life. The intel conveniently found its way to the Middle Eastern Desk nearly 48 hours prior to this travesty of a mission and requested _her _presence in this utter hell hole. There was chatter through the NSA that claimed Ben had found a previously unknown terror cell and wanted to relay this information to someone he trusted.

"_A terror cell in Afghanistan?" Annie scoffed two days before when Joan and Arthur Campbell brought the information to her, "Isn't that an oxymoron?"_

"_Not a terror cell, Agent Walker," Arthur Campbell told her definitely, his eyes sharp and focused on her, "__**The**_ _terror cell. This intel has the potential to take down Bin Laden's network inside Afghanistan. You _know _the significance of that."_

_Annie nodded slowly and took in a deep breath before opening the folder once again, perusing the contents for any sign that she should simply walk away from this entire ordeal. The room was eerily quiet, the crackle of paper the only sound as she turned each page with care. Something was off about this who entire situation but nothing concrete jumped out at her. If it's one thing that Annie had learned on The Farm it was that intel had to be actionable. She let out a sigh as she closed the dossier and squared her shoulders. The translation of Ben's message had been flawless and she couldn't deny that it came from him. Sri Lanka was a long time ago, but she remembered every moment as though it were yesterday. The mention of the rapala knot to anyone else would have seemed out of place, but for her it was as though he'd hand-written the information himself. Still, it seemed to be too precise and too perfect, sending the 7__th__ Floor into a piranha-like frenzy the moment it hit the Middle Eastern desk. This had the potential to be a very big payday for the US military or it could be the set up of a lifetime._

If anyone had told her that she would have earned an all expenses paid trip, footed by the US taxpayer, to the most hostile region in the Middle East a year ago she would have told them to get their head examined. Shifting the 50lb rucksack over her left arm, Annie brought her right hand to her forehead in an attempt to shield her eyes from the blazing Afghan sun. In this part of the world it was commonplace to hear the echos of gunfire and explosions but she'd never imagined that she would find herself knee deep in any conflict of this nature. Feeling a nudge on her shoulder from one of the Rangers assigned to her detail, Annie nodded and immediately repositioned the M-4 carbine, issued upon arriving at Bagram Airbase, in her hands. Feeling the heat beating down on her head and her body temperature rise, Annie followed the soldier at her side once again into the breech. Upon her arrival she'd been briefed about the history, terrain, and troop movements within the area. Bagram Airbase, a particularly prime target for Taliban rocket fire, was seven miles southeast of Charikar in Parwan Province and, to her chagrin, housed several Special Forces units within its walls. The irony was not lost on her as she was assigned to a select group of Rangers, hand picked for this mission by The Agency. So, when her convoy fell under heavy fire nearly 20 minutes ago less than half a mile out of Charikar, Annie found herself thinking of the one person who could possibly understand what was happening to her and to the men around her – the one man who was purposefully kept in the dark about this mission. Closing her eyes for a moment as the sweat dripped down her forehead, Annie replayed those final moments before accepting this fool's errand.

"_Stu?" Annie raised an eyebrow and looked to Joan and Arthur for some form of explanation, "He's an excellent handler, don't get me wrong, but isn't Auggie better equipped to run this?"_

_Arthur stood from his seat on Joan's desk and folded his arms across his chest, "This mission is 'need-to-know'—"_

"_And Auggie doesn't need to know?" Annie asked incredulously as she matched Arthur's body language._

"_Annie," Joan began as she assumed the role of peacemaker, "The DNI felt it would cause Auggie unnecessary stress to lead a mission from Langley of this nature."_

"_He ran Goliath without incident and successfully, I might add, saved every single member of that team," Annie stood her ground and dared either of them to comment, "Auggie is my handler and I want him in on this. I don't like keeping secrets."_

_Arthur laughed deeply and shook his head, "Annie Walker, _you _are in the wrong line of business if you don't _like _keeping secrets!"_

_Annie felt her face grow hot as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "I just mean that he's my partner. Stu and I work well together, but I would just feel more comfortable—"_

"_The decision is final," Arthur cut her off verbally and with a sweeping hand gesture._

_Annie reluctantly nodded and closed the manila folder, handing it back to Joan as she took in a deep, steadying breath, "When do I leave?"_

The _most _idiotic thing that Annie Walker had ever done was come to Afghanistan to try and draw Ben Mercer out while keeping Auggie Anderson in the dark. She'd never lied to Auggie before and just the day before she'd been telling him how excited she was to finally get to visit Disney World. _How the hell did he not see through that one? _She swore that when she got back to Langley she would personally visit Cover Operations and give them a piece of her mind. If they're going to send her somewhere on vacation they should at least make it plausible. Of course, Auggie bought it. She remembered his big, goofy smile as he told her all about his adventures in the park when he was a teenager. A teenage Auggie was a force to be reckoned with and Annie, for one, was very glad that she found herself within his Circle of Trust. Of course, after this stunt she fully deserved to be banished for all eternity. He was going to be livid when he found out and he _would _find out. He _was, _after all, _the _August Anderson, the only Agent that had more spies within the spy machine than the DNI himself.

It didn't surprise her in the least that she found herself in her current predicament, alone, out of breath from running at top speed for half a mile, and hiding behind a concrete barrier while her Rangers escort attempted to fight off a group of insurgents. The gunfire sounded a lot like fireworks as they ricocheted off of building, voices shouting orders to one another in a variety of languages, and not for the first time Annie Walker wished she _was_ at Disney World. Tapping on her com-link, she established contact with Stu back at the DPD.

"Stu!" she called out over the sound of artillery shells whizzing overhead.

"_Annie!"_ Stu's voice was immediately in her right ear.

"I need an exit, Stu!" she told him as she hurtled herself forward in an attempt to avoid flying shrapnel from an explosion nearby, "We're pinned down in the middle of..._nowhere_."

"_Status?"_ he asked quizzically as though he were trying to discern what he was hearing over the mic.

"We were set up," she told him quickly, spitting sand out of her mouth as she reached for her M-4, "Convoy was attacked 20 minutes ago. Rangers have engaged the insurgents, but they've sustained a few losses. Mercer is MIA. I need that exit _now_!"

* * *

><p>As he reached for the door handle leading him to the DPD, Auggie knew that he was playing with fire. Joan was explicit in her instructions. She did not want to see him for the next three days under any circumstances. She'd chastised him for working too hard, running himself ragged trying to juggle operations for Special Activities Division and Annie's numerous 'routine' assignments gone awry. He had taken her comments in stride, recognizing that she generally had his best interests at heart, but detected something else. He could tell that she'd chosen her words carefully and maintained an even tone when talking to him, something that he was certain she'd deliberately done. If there was one thing August Anderson learned from his time in the field it was to <em>never<em> ignore a gut feeling whether actionable intel presented itself or not. As any good spy would do, he'd concocted a plausible reason for returning to the DPD today – he'd gotten tickets to a Mingus festival in New York and conveniently (or inconveniently) left them in the drawer of his desk in Tech Ops. If something was brewing, it would give him a chance to step in and be useful.

The moment that he stepped into the DPD the wall of silence that greeted him immediately raised red flags. On a normal day he could hear chatter from the many desks that lined the bullpen as Operatives worked against the clock to translate intelligence reports from field agents all over the world. Today, he was sure he could hear a pin drop. As he cautiously moved forward there was a distinct lack of cheap smelling cologne in his vicinity, meaning Jai Wilcox was no where to be found, and no squeal to his right from Bea. Papers shuffled. The water cooler gurgled. Chairs squeaked as their inhabitants moved. The sound of keys tapping signaled someone on the computer, but the lack of acknowledgment unnerved him. He wondered if Joan put them up to this given her firm orders the night before that he vacate the premises. Out of habit he turned toward an empty desk and remembered that the one person he trusted to be his eyes was visiting the happiest place on Earth. He was on his own unraveling this little mystery. The thought of Annie Walker brought a soft smile to his face and he allowed himself the luxury of picturing her in a Doom Buggy racing through the Haunted Mansion.

At the swooshing sound of Tech Ops' doors swinging open, his smile immediately faded. His hearing was impeccable and he distinctly heard the voice of Annie Walker filling the room before being cut off by the nearly sound proof glass as the doors closed once again. His body went rigid as his mind registered the other sounds he'd heard in that brief moment and it took all of his skill to maneuver through the bullpen without inadvertently bumping into wayward furniture. He hoped to _hell_ that he'd gotten it wrong in his head because Annie Walker was _definitely_ not in the happiest place on Earth.

* * *

><p>"Jesus!" Stu cried out, unable to contain his surprise, as a loud rumble echoed through the room startling several of the occupants, "What the hell was that? Annie! Annie, do you copy?"<p>

The door to Tech Ops swung open again, as it had a few moments earlier, but no one noticed the dark haired man with the long white cane slip inside. The tone of Stu's voice clearly revealed his panic as at least four other people in the room began to argue over options that seemed wildly out of character for the normally calm group. When he cleared his throat loudly and every head, at least it sounded that way, turned to look at him it took every ounce of strength not to throttle every one of them.

"That was an IED."

Stu froze, his eyes wide, as he registered the voice from his left and began to think of all of the ways that Auggie Anderson could dispose of his body despite being blind. He was out of his depth. The Middle East was not his expertise. He was a techie. He'd handled missions for Annie Walker before, but he'd always done it under Auggie's watchful eye. His boss had a soft spot for the blonde and her influence on him in the last year had been so remarkable that the Ops team began taking bets to see how long it would be before the two managed to seal the deal. When he woke up this morning and began this op he never thought he would find himself toe to toe with a very pissed off Auggie Anderson. Oh his outward demeanor looked calm and cool, but Stu knew the man before an IED took his sight and long after. After this Stu would be lucky to do tech support for the Geek Squad.

"I, uh-" Stu stammered as his hands quickly grasped for a soda can, knocking it over if the process and spilling its contents.

Joan, whom had been standing on the sidelines, recovered first and made her way over to blind man and placed her hand on his elbow, "Auggie. I expressly told you-"

In a move that unnerved most, Auggie looked directly at his boss, "_That_ was an IED explosion and I distinctly heard Annie's voice over the com-link. You purposefully left me in the cold, Joan. I won't forget that easily. Tell me what the _hell _is going on!"

"_Stu!"_ came the frazzled voice of Annie Walker once again over the com-link, "_We're running out of time! We're sitting ducks out here! I need that exit __**now ! **__ETA on the extraction team?"_

Stu leaped into action and began typing on his computer, "20 minutes, Walker. Sit tight. We're looking for that exit now."

_ "We don't _have _that kind of time!"_ she growled and Auggie could hear the telltale sound of teeth grinding.

"Joan," Stu shook his head imperceptibly and looked to his mentor, his eyes pleading with her to read him in.

"I can 'hear' you shaking your head, Stu," Auggie rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, "Where is she?"

"Auggie, I—" Stu began but stopped upon seeing the glare from Joan.

"_Stu! That exit! Any time now! Jesus! We're under heavy fire here!"_ Annie's voice crackled over the link.

"Heavy fire. You don't want me on the op. She must be in Afghanistan. Charikar," Auggie surmised, a hard look on his face as he squared his shoulders in a face off with Joan, "That's the only reason I'm not in that chair right now, isn't it?"

Joan maintained her posture, never backing down, and slowly blinked as her eyes perused the person in front of her. She'd known that this was a possibility when Arthur suggested that he be left out of this operation. Instinctively she'd wanted him here to guide Annie through the desert knowing that he was the only one within the DPD with first hand knowledge of the terrain and the unit assigned to her protection. In the end it wasn't the locale that kept Auggie off the team, it was Ben Mercer's insistence that the former Special Operations Officer be kept in the dark in favor of another tech ops handler. The alleged terror cell housed many of the insurgents charged with aiding Afran Felat Khani attack his unit and Mercer felt that Auggie couldn't possibly be objective. Knowing they'd been played only fueled Joan's anger and there was only one person that she wanted to feel the brunt of it.

"Stu, read Auggie in and get Annie the hell out of there. I need to brief Arthur."

Auggie made his way to his desk, grabbed his headphones, and waited for Stu to explain the situation. With each piece of information Auggie felt himself get angrier and angrier with the stunt Arthur Campbell had pulled. A rookie could have told them that the information was bogus. Chatter on Ben Mercer put him in a completely different part of the world. No one in their right mind would want to go into Afghanistan willingly, terror cell or not. From his time in Iraq he knew that Taliban forces rarely made their hive known to those outside an inner circle. To get into that circle one had to be 'one of them' and Mercer, with his baby blues (so Auggie had been told), most definitely would not pass as a local.

"Get me that extraction team, Stu," Auggie told him with a hint of menace, "Get them there _fast_!"

* * *

><p>"<em>Annie Walker, as I live and breathe!"<em> Auggie joked, a defense mechanism that Annie knew all too well, "_Talk to me."_

Annie leaped over a crumbled concrete barricade, dodging gunfire, and sank to the hot sand beneath her feet, "Auggie?"

"_Some vacation, Walker. If this is your idea of Disney World I'd like to recommend you see a shrink when you get back,"_ the wry comment crackled in her ear.

The whine of a bullet speeding past her right ear caused her to flinch, her voice raising an octave higher, "I need an exit, Auggie. What's taking so long?"

"_What's your 20?"_ he asked calmly, she could hear rustling through her ear piece that could only mean that he'd shifted in his chair.

Annie peered over the barricade, her knuckles white around the grip of her semi-automatic weapon, and immediately felt the spray of concrete as a bullet landed inches from her face, "Damn it Auggie!"

"_What do you see, Annie. Tell me what you see. I'll get you out of there, but you have to tell me what you _see!" his words were a command that caused her back to straighten and her mind to clear almost immediately.

"It's a war zone, Auggie," she responded wryly, "There's not much. A building at my 3 o'clock. It might be a house? It has a flat roof almost like a battlement? I don't know! I can't see the unit! I think they might be all dead!"

"_Stay calm, Annie," _Auggie told her firmly, "_Please tell me you have a weapon."_

Annie resisted the temptation to roll her eyes at his comment, the friendly banter lulling her into a false state of security as though they were in the same room and not thousands of miles apart, "I'm not a complete rookie, Anderson. Rangers gave me an M-4."

_ "Well, ok,"_ he chuckled warmly, "_Thank God for small favors. I need to you fire your gun towards the insurgents and then make a break for that building."_

Annie brought the back of her hand to her nose, scratching it, and then seemed to freeze in place upon his command, "You want me to _what_?"

"_You need a diversion. Your team is MIA. Right now you're all alone. I__ need to get you to an extraction point and your best shot is from that roof. A helicopter is on its way as we speak. Coalition Forces are occupied and the ground rescue is delayed. You can do this, Walker. Get to that roof."_

She felt her heart race and closed her eyes momentarily in an attempt to calm her nerves, "Ok."

* * *

><p>Auggie leaned forward; his hands clasped together, and closed his eyes in silent prayer as he heard Annie take in an exaggerated breath meant to calm her nerves. She wasn't trained for this level of combat and there was something about her responses that seemed off. At first he thought it was simply the high stress situation she'd found herself in but now he was not convinced. He could hear her feet pounding against the stairs. She stumbled. There was silence. He slowly rose from his chair. She cursed. He ran a hand through his hair and expelled a breath he didn't realize he was holding.<p>

"_Auggie?"_ her voice sounded small even through the sophisticated technology.

"I'm here Annie," he unconsciously stepped forward, his voice lowering an octave as his face immediately belied the worry he tried so desperately to hide from her.

"_I'm sorry,"_ she told him quietly and through their only link he heard the sound of her uniform scrape against the concrete wall.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he told her firmly as he ran a hand through his hair, his head angling towards the sky, "You can buy me a beer and we'll call it even."

"_It didn't click until now,"_ she sighed, shifting slightly, "_Two days on the job and I had you apologizing for me."_

"You liked Mingus," he chuckled, shrugging sheepishly, as his fingers deftly moved across his braille keyboard in an attempt to locate the position of the extraction team.

Hearing her breathy laugh in that next moment was tantamount to throwing a cooler full of ice water over the top of his head, his sensitive hearing picking up the minute wheeze indicative of something amiss. He slowly rose from his chair, his hands palm down on his desk, and swallowed the lump of pure terror that threatened to overtake him. _No way. Not Annie. This is not how it's supposed end. Not like this._

"Boss?" the tentative voice of Stu called from his left, a strong hand gently squeezing his shoulder.

"How long until the team arrives?" Auggie asked quietly, his voice as sharp as steel in a way that the man beside him had never experienced.

"ETA 5 minutes," Stu told him quickly, his training kicking in telling him that it was better to deliver bad news without sugarcoating.

Auggie grabbed the first thing in his path and launched it in front of him in a fit of anger, shattering a monitor, as his face turning an unhealthy shade of red as he roared his pain, "_Not_ good enough! She's in a damned _war zone_ and she's _hurt_!"

Stu recoiled as though struck, "Sh-she didn't say anything—"

Auggie closed his eyes and hung his head, his shoulders tense and body rigid, "Annie! Annie, talk to me! Annie!"

"_Annie?"_ his voice held a hint of concern now and she knew that her attempt to hide reality from him was over, "_Annie, talk to me! Annie!"_

Annie slowly raised her head, her eyes traveling down the long, red smear that marred the wall behind her and coughed violently, blood staining her gloves as she tried desperately to regain control over her breathing, "Owls have nothing on you, August Anderson."

"_Where are you hurt?"_

* * *

><p>Annie shifted gingerly; her hand immediately went to her right side where a large piece of shrapnel was lodged between the 7th and 8th rib, fracturing the bone and puncturing her lung, "I think there's more to your protective nature than you want anyone to believe."<p>

"_Annie!"_ Auggie yelled in a vain attempt to bring her back to the situation at hand, "_.!"_

Annie smiled softly, her head rolling to one side as she swallowed hard, "I have lots of friends, Auggie."

"_Annie, I need you to focus! Please!"_ his voice was desperate now and it sounded the alarm back at the DPD.

"No one would move mountains to get to me, Auggie," she sighed, her voice hitching as she felt her body begin to tremble.

"_Annie, stay with me!"_

"No one but you," she whispered as she once again swallowed hard, her mouth feeling like it was full of cotton, "It must be getting late, Auggie. It's getting cold and the light seems to be fading. A cloud maybe?"

"_Annie! Geez, Annie! Annie, I need you to talk to me Annie! You can't give up on me! Not now! Not like this!"_

"I'd never give up on you, Auggie," she told him quietly as she closed her eyes for a moment, a feeling of being pulled under water coming over her before she snapped her eyes open again.

"_What is your _exact _location?"_ he demanded, his voice cracking.

"Doesn't matter, Auggie," she smiled sadly as she once again coughed into her hand, tiny rivulets of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, "I can hear them. They're in the building now. It's only a matter of time." 

* * *

><p>Auggie ripped off his headphones for a moment and paced the room, its occupants deftly staying out of his way as he moved like a man possessed. His breathing became more shallow, his instinct to fight or flight running through him as he smelled the strong scent of Old Spice. <em>Wilcox<em>. In a fit of rage he turned towards his desk, a strangled yell erupted from his lips, and using his right arm swept his entire desk leaving only his computer and keyboard unscathed. Several people cried out as the stapler, paper clips, the phone, and various techno gadgets pelted them before falling to the floor in a haphazard pattern.

"Auggie-" the voice of Jai Wilcox called out to him as he tentatively moved towards the enraged operative.

"Do. Not. Say. A. Word!" each word dripped with venom and his fists clenched into a tight ball as he struggled to regain his composure.

Twenty minutes was all it took for August Anderson's carefully constructed world to come crumbling down in a spectacular meltdown. He felt caged. Suffocated. He could feel the eyes on him in the room. He could feel the shock. The fear. The pity. He didn't care. Her words shattered him. She wasn't defeated. She was resolute. He'd felt fear in his life, but never had he felt the bone chilling fear he felt in that moment when he recognized that Annie Walker's life was slipping away and there was very little he could do to stop it. August Anderson was afraid. Not even when he woke to find the world no longer held color for him did he feel so incredibly helpless. _I should have been here. I should have done more. Stu isn't trained for this type of Op! __He's good. But this is _my _Annie!_

"Auggie?" a quiet voice broke through his thoughts and he immediately turned toward the sound.

"Joan," he swallowed hard, his hands curling into a fist as he attempted to quell the anger he felt toward his boss at this very moment.

"Listen to me," she grasped him by the shoulders, his fallen headphones curled around her finger, "Annie needs you right now. She needs your strength. You will get her through this Auggie, you've just got to hold it together. The team is almost there."

Auggie shook his head imperceptibly and motioned for Stu to put the communication link on speaker again. Annie's voice filled the room. It was quiet and desperate. She was calling out for him and he stood there like a coward unable to answer her.

"_Auggie? Please! I know you're angry. Don't leave me! Please, Auggie. I need you here. I need you here with me. They're coming. There's not much time. Please!"_

Tears stung his eyes and would have certainly blurred his vision had he any left, "I'm here Annie."

"_Oh God! Auggie!"_ her voice was filled with quiet joy, shaking from the exertion and her sheer determination to stay awake.

"You just hang tight," he told her as he cleared his throat, folding his arms across his chest as though it could protect him from the inevitable.

"_They're coming up the stairs. Auggie, I need you to know—"_

"Tell me when you get back, Annie," he told her firmly, his tone adamant in his attempt to somehow avoid the finality of her words.

"_They're here, Auggie. Tell Danielle I love her. Tell Stu and Joan that I'm sorry. I should have seen it coming. I should have been better—"_

"Annie! You are mesmerizing!" he told her with a look of utter anguish on his face as he used the very word she often used to describe him.

"_No,"_ she whispered as her teeth chattered over the line, "You _are mesmerizing, August __Anderson. My biggest regret—"_

"Annie," he warned as Joan gripped his shoulder tightly, a silent cue that he needed to let Annie finish, no matter what the cost to his heart or his sanity.

"_I love you Auggie."_

The sound of a single shot echoed through the room and then there was utter silence. Joan Campbell felt her chest rise and fall, her hand coming to her mouth to stifle the gasp that no amount of training could prevent. No one moved. Stu appeared frozen mid-step, his coffee mug inches from his face as his eyes went wide. Jai Wilcox slowly slid to the floor, his expensive suit forgotten as he'd heard the final, heartbreaking exchange between his two colleagues. It seemed criminal to witness those moments and for the first time in his life, Jai no longer envied Auggie Anderson.

Auggie closed his eyes, his body rigid, and fought to control the emotion that threatened to overtake him. _She's gone. Kitten heels and Jo Malone Grapefruit and stupid Smithsonian tours for overactive third graders—_

"Sit down, Auggie," Joan told him quietly as she pulled him into a strong embrace, acknowledging the thoughts that he'd inadvertently spoke aloud.

"Joan," his voice croaked as he felt her warm arms around him.

"Sit. Down, Auggie," she told him again, this time pulling his chair towards him.

As soon as the seat hit the back of his calves his entire body collapsed onto itself, landing safely in the chair he'd used to orchestrate every single mission Annie Walker had the misfortune of running. He felt as though his limbs weighed a ton, his head was spinning out of control, and he his heart was shattered into a million pieces.


	2. Chapter 2  Blow

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I am in awe of your words and hope I live up to your expectations. For those of you who read the 1st chapter last night (9/1/11), I've updated and edited it. I've added about 1,300 words. It doesn't change the dynamic much but I do hope it makes it better. Thank you again! Feedback is welcome! This is the second installment. I hope it draws you in as much as the last.

**Chapter 2:** **Blow**

_**12 Hours Later...or 24 Hours Ago...**_

Ignoring the feeling of unease in her stomach as she reviewed the intelligence allegedly provided by Ben Mercer was not the biggest mistake that Joan Campbell had ever made in her long career with the Agency, but it had the potential to become the costliest. The message was carefully crafted and followed similar protocol established by Mercer during his tenure with the Agency. There were references to current intelligence gathering operations in the Middle East and a veiled reference to something shared between he and Annie in Sri Lanka. It _looked_ legitimate. It _had _been vetted by the Middle Eastern Desk. _If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims like a duck...it's probably a sophisticated device sent to explode right in your face courtesy of 'insert bad guys name here.'_ Joan Campbell was not a woman to be trifled with and as she swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth she vowed that when they found Ben Mercer she would _personally_ see to his interrogation. So caught up in her own internal dialogue she failed to see her door slowly open and a familiar head of brown hair venture in.

"Remind me to never cross you," came the deep chuckle as the DCS walked in slowly, hands palm up in a simulated _mea culpa_.

"Arthur," she acknowledged with a slight nod, her attention focused on watching the bustle of the bullpen from her window.

"It's been twelve hours," Arthur cleared his throat as he reached out to his wife, circling his arms around her waist and pulling her into his embrace despite the immediate stiffening of her body.

The events of the preceding twelve hours roared into her minds eye stirring a multitude of emotions that she'd fought to suppress. The bitter taste in her mouth returned and her nostrils flared as she reminded herself of the role she played in this entire fiasco. She closed her eyes slowly, taking in several deep, calming breaths in an attempt to stave off the inevitable panic attack that accompanies trauma experienced in their line of work. _Compartmentalize._ That was what they taught you at The Farm. Now wasn't the time. People counted on her to be strong and level headed. In the span of twelve hours their entire world shifted and those that currently raced through the bullpen following her command needed to know that she would not break. She _could_ not break.

Feeling the tension leave her body, Arthur Campbell took a step back to admire his wife. She was strong, feisty, and had a hell of a strategic mind. The day Annie Walker entered the DPD he knew that his wife would find a kindred spirit in the younger woman. What he didn't count on was the bond that formed between the new recruit and Auggie Anderson. It caused complications in their quest to bring Mercer in from the cold, but in the end the partnership had made successes out of botched missions that would have sent even the most hardened operative for cover. He followed his wife's gaze and took in a deep, steadying breath of his own. The Tech Ops Department was without a door, destroyed in the aftermath of Annie's last transmission, and the cleaning crew had finally managed to remove the last piece of shattered glass. In hindsight, creating a Tech Ops Department surrounded by glass was probably not the most sensible architectural decision ever made.

"You're concerned," Arthur remarked as he placed a gentle hand on her upper arm, pulling her toward him in an attempt to get her to talk this through.

She raised an eyebrow, her deep blue eyes sparkling in disbelief, and pushed firmly at his chest in order to give herself space, "Arthur, your ability to state the obvious continues to astound me."

Arthur grinned as he straightened his tie, "We're going to come out the other side on this, Joan."

"Cut the glass half full crap, Arthur," her eyes flashed dangerously as a firm knock on the door interrupted her dressing down of her husband, "Come in."

Eric Barber, a member of the Tech Ops team, slowly entered the office with a look of dread upon his face, "Joan? Oh! Director Campbell! I'm sorry! I can come back."

Arthur was amused by the young man's antics and waved his hand dismissively, "You may as well tell us both. What's the latest?"

Barber frowned for a moment and then scratched his beard before answering, "It's a dead calm out there, sir. Chatter went cold about an hour ago. Mercer's last known position was in Kuala Lampur, but that confirmation is at least three days old. Finding a needle in a haystack would be easier."

Joan raised an eyebrow, her face the only weapon she needed to convey her sentiment, but assumed the techie would not necessarily comprehend, "_Find_ me that needle, Barber. I want Ben Mercer _here_ and I want him _now_."

He nodded quickly, shuffling from side to side clearly nervous about having to deal with the Division Head and DCS when Auggie generally handled these matters, "O-of course."

Joan turned on her heel and walked back to her desk, her hand pulling her monitor around as she slid into her chair for the first time in nearly ten hours, "If that's all?"

Barber, recognizing that he was being dismissed, turned towards the door but stopped short before pulling it open again, "Joan, about Auggie-"

"What _about_ Auggie?" she asked as she leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her as she regarded Barber with mock interest, her eyes looking to Arthur quickly.

"Chatter in the bullpen is that he's missing," Barber confessed, his eyes filled with worry and his voice wavering to coincide with the butterflies he felt were swarming in his stomach.

"Barber," she began slowly as though speaking to a child, "you know better than to listen to the rumor mill."

Barber nodded hesitantly, but pressed on nonetheless with a look of pure terror as the DCS regarded him with something akin to pity, "Yes ma'am. It's just that we received a hit on a passport."

"We get hits on passports all the time, Barber. I'm not certain why you feel the need to tell me," Joan responded coldly.

Barber chuckled nervously and ran a hand through his hair, "It was Auggie's."

"Auggie's?" Arthur asked quickly as Joan slowly rose to her feet, a look of concern flashing across her features.

"Not 'Auggie's' per se," Barber clarified quickly as he shifted his weight again, "It was listed as deactivated in 2007 but a clerical error had it listed as active."

"Clerical error," Joan let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, "Send the information to Jai. Say _nothing_ of this to _anyone_."

Barber thumbed towards the door and nodded, "I found the hit. We're good. I'll get it to Jai now."

Joan's eyes narrowed dangerously and her jaw visibly clenched as the familiar stirring of protectiveness tugged at her heart. He was going to be the death of her. She knew it _then_ and she knew it _now. _ Arthur moved in front of her again, his eyes piercing into hers as he shook his head slightly.

"We'll find him," Arthur told her emphatically.

"We have to, Arthur," she took in a ragged breath and shook her head, "NCS may have declared him unfit for field work but we both know that he is _highly_ skilled and _highly_ motivated."

"I'll hold off the DNI for as long as I can," Arthur told her quietly, "but this is bound to get out. He won't be inconspicuous for long and he's bound to make a mistake."

"You underestimate August Anderson if you think he can't fly below the radar until the last possible moment. He was a force to be reckoned with before he lost his sight and I think he's only enhanced his capabilities since then. NCS wants him out of the field not because he's blind but because he's _deadly_. We should have kept someone on him," Joan slumped in her chair in a very un-Joan-like manner, the enormity of the situation overcoming her.

"He was practically catatonic, Joan!" Arthur threw his hands up, "Stop beating yourself up over this!"

* * *

><p><em>"I love you Auggie."<em>

_ The sound of a single shot echoed through the room and then there was utter silence. Joan Campbell felt her chest rise and fall, her hand coming to her mouth to stifle the gasp that no amount of training could prevent. No one moved. Stu appeared frozen mid-step, his coffee mug inches from his face as his eyes went wide. Jai Wilcox slowly slid to the floor, his expensive suit forgotten as he'd heard the final, heartbreaking exchange between his two colleagues. It seemed criminal to witness those moments and for the first time in his life, Jai no longer envied Auggie Anderson. _

_ Auggie closed his eyes, his body rigid, and fought to control the emotion that threatened to overtake him. He'd barely registered Joan's voice as she tried desperately to get him to sit down, but his mind was reeling from the events that had just unfolded. The chair hit him in the back of his knees and he found that he no longer had the strength to remain standing. His body collapsed in a heap, his eyes more vacant than Joan had ever seen them and for a brief moment she feared for the man's sanity. She knelt down beside him, her hand placed gently on his thigh as she searched his face for any sign of life. There would be time to help him put the pieces back together, but now was not it. She rose slowly from her crouched position, her knees popping as she took in a deep, steadying breath._

_ "Ok people," her voice full of gravel from disuse, her hand remaining firmly on Auggie's shoulder as she looked around the room, "Listen up! Stu, I want you and the Tech Ops team to dissect the alleged intel from Ben Mercer. Find me what the Middle Eastern Desk missed and find it now. Jai, I want you to go to the 7th floor and brief Arthur-"_

_ "Joan?" Jai croaked from his position on the floor, his eyes rimmed red as he looked at her with confusion._

_ "I'm needed here," she replied simply, her head nodding towards a motionless Auggie, "I need resources. I want Ben Mercer found. Pull out all the stops. Let's go people! The trail will go cold in less than an hour. Bea, I want you to retrace Annie's steps. Contact Bagram and see if you can't locate Ranger Team 4."_

_ "What about-" Stu begins as he looks pitifully at Auggie, but stops with a wave of Joan's hand signaling his dismissal._

_ "Move it!" she snapped, her eyes flashing with controlled fury and immediately the entire room sprang into action._

_ Joan looked down at Auggie once again and gently squeezed his shoulder in hopes of illiciting a reaction. He sits there unmoving, eyes forward, and his hands on the arms of the chair. He'd not spoken a single word since the shot was fired and Joan tried desperately to devise a way to break him from his trance-like state. She knew she should find Darren Watkins, the resident CIA shrink, but she didn't dare leave Auggie's side. _

_ "Outpost this is Ranger 4, do you copy?" a voice boomed through the Tech Ops Center causing Joan to flinch away from the despondent man._

_ She quickly looked around the room, her platinum blonde hair flying in a distinctly non-Joan manner, and attempted to locate a mic to answer the summons from the team on the ground in Afghanistan. Her eyes scanned the now empty room for a single person to help but found that her orders scattered the room like cockroaches under a hall light. She growled, her hand slapping Auggie on the back of the head in frustration._

_ "Snap out of it Auggie!" she grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him for good measure, "Ranger 4 is calling in. This place looks like a war zone! Find me a mic or so help me God I _will_ kick your ass!"_

_ Auggie blinked slowly, momentarily roused from his stupor, and reached a hand out towards his keyboard. His fingertips gently glided over the braille slide and then he tapped the keyboard when he appeared to find what he needed. His movements were heavy, as though moving through rough water, and Joan noticed for the first time how his generally youthful appearance revealed his mental fatigue. _

_ "Well?" she asked impatiently as she unnecessarily threw her hands up as she watched him retreat back into his chair._

_ Auggie sighed and motioned for her to speak, his head leaning back against the curve of his chair as he closed his eyes succumbing to crash of the earlier adrenaline rush. Joan frowned at his reaction, but trusted that he had done something to aid her current predicament._

_ "Ranger 4, we read you. What's your status?" Joan called out, feeling slightly foolish for responding in this matter, as she walked toward the shattered monitor with the satellite intel._

_ "Roger Outpost. Sandstorm is secure," came the clipped reply that only a Special Ops soldier could deliver, "Arriving at Bagram now."_

_ Joan quickly glanced back at Auggie who gave no indication that he'd heard or understood the words that echoed through the room. Her heart began to race, a shiver running down her spine as she began to process the implications of those few words spoken by a solider thousands of miles away. It was almost too good to be true for such a botched mission. There was no mistaking the gunshot that was fired no more than twenty minutes prior silencing Annie Walker. Half of the DPD heard the final exchange between Annie and Auggie to know that some things just did not lie. Yet here she was surrounded by glass, broken tech, and an even more broken Head of Tech Ops talking to Ranger at Bragram. _

_ "Ranger 4, come again?" she asked slowly, praying to God that she'd interpreted his words correctly._

_ There was a pause. Static. Joan turned around again to face Auggie only to find his chair had been vacated. Her eyes went wide as a feeling of dread came over her. She had to finish this now and would have to deal with Auggie later._

_ "Sandstorm secure, ma'am. We had to stabilize in the field before transporting to Bagram."_

_ Joan blinked once. Then twice. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly and she reached haphazardly behind her for something to steady her. Finding the edge of the desk she half sat on the edge and used her arms to brace herself upright. Her eyes traveled to the bullpen and she felt a weight in the middle of her chest. Blinking back the sting of hot tears she watched as her husband tentatively entered the room, his eyes wide with concern as he quickly crossed the distance between them._

_ "Jai just informed me-"_

_ She placed her index finger on her lips and shook her head slowly in disbelief, "Ranger 4 has Sandstorm."_

_ He nodded solemnly as he reached up to take her hand in his, "It will be easier for her family-"_

_ "No!" Joan cut him off as she shook the cobwebs from her mind, "She was stabilized in the field and taken to Bagram."_

_ Arthur frowned as he assumed control momentarily, "Ranger 4 this is Halo. Repeat Sandstorm is secure and alive?"_

_ "Yes sir!" came the clipped response, "Unfriendly nearly got her, but we got him first. She was bad, sir. Didn't think she'd pull through. Real proud of her school, though."_

_ "Come again, soldier?" Arthur raised an eyebrow as he watched Joan rise from her chair and smooth her dress._

_ "Kept talking about an Aggie," the solder replied with a slight chuckle, "Didn't take her for a Texas girl."_

_ Joan's eyes sparkled as she laughed, "That would be _Auggie_. Her handler."_

_ "Only knew one Auggie in my life, ma'am. He was a good man. Always did what he could to get us all home," the man remarked._

_ "He still is Ranger 4," Arthur cleared his throat as he acknowledged the connection._

_ "I'll be damned," the man whistled, "Tell him he's a damned lucky man. Cap'n says the Docs are looking her over. Lost a lot of blood. We lost her twice en route. The next few hours are critical. Transport to Ramstein is on standby. Docs will call in the next hour to update you, Halo."_

_ "Good work Ranger 4. Thank you. Outpost out," Joan responded evenly, a feeling of relief washing over her._

_ Joan slowly turned her attention to the vacated chair, reaching out to run her fingertips along it's curved back. She had to find him. Fast. Joan looked to Arthur for some direction and he simply shrugged._

_ Arthur pulled her into a gentle hug, his lips brushing her cheek, "We'll find the bastard, Joan. Jai is on it. You have full control. Annie is alive. That's all that matters now."_

_ Joan leaned into his embrace, grateful for the strength he provided her, and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I'm worried about Auggie. He slipped out of here before Ranger 4 confirmed that Annie was alive."_

_ Arthur slowly pulled away from his wife and looked into her eyes, "He can't have gotten far. We'll find him. When we do I'm sure he'll be right in the middle of everything."_

_ "Call Darren Watkins. I'd feel better knowing someone was here for him," Joan told him firmly as the doors once again swung open to reveal Stu and the rest of the team, "Listen up! Ranger 4 called in. Sandstorm—Annie—is secure and at Bagram. I need someone to find Auggie."_

_ Stu took a tentative step forward, his face cautious as he looked over his shoulder to see Jai follow him inside, "What do you mean, Joan?"_

_ "Annie Walker is alive and Auggie doesn't know."_

* * *

><p>If someone had told Jai Wilcox that a <em>blind<em> man could out wit, out last, and out play three of the CIA elite he would have called them insane. After ten hours of tracking August Anderson from his apartment to the bus depot to the train station and now to Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Jai had grown to begrudgingly respect the man.

_"Jai, what's your 20?"_ came the voice of Stu over the com-link.

"Just arrived at the airport in Montreal. Passport hit says he hopping a flight to Kuala Lampur via Doha," Jai responded as he looked down at his own passport, Indian for this particular adventure, "Maybe the chatter about Mercer isn't cold after all?"

_"Mercer better hope _you _find him before Auggie does. Have you made visual contact?"_

Jai frowned as he began to visually scan the area for any sign of the man, "Negative. Heading to the gate area now. I'll keep you posted."

If someone had told Jai Wilcox that a _blind_ man would be able to get the jump on him in a crowded airport he would have said something incredibly conceited, smug, and pejorative because _surely_ that could _never_ happen. His only thought as the hands circled around his throat, dark brown eyes vacant of any emotion appearing to stare into his own, was that he was probably never going to live this one down and Auggie would rejoice in the fact that he'd finally brought Jai Wilcox to his knees.


	3. Chapter 3 Breakeven

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** I really appreciate all of the support! Glad you're enjoying the ride! I like to use a couple of techniques when I write my stories...when you see large patches all in _italics_ – it means that the characters are flashing back or it's a memory. If you see _italics_ followed by non-italics it means that we're hearing someone over a phone or mic. Without further ado...Chapter 3. The first italics bit borrows from the "Pilot" - so I want to give credit where credit is due.

**Song Choice:** The Script – Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)

**Chapter 3:**** Breakeven**

_**Nearly 4 hours later...or 20 hours ago...**_

As children we are taught that the monsters that come in our sleep are nothing more than a figment of our growing imaginations. As we grow older we learn that the images, the feelings, and even the actions mirror our subconscious in ways that, when awake, we never imagined possible. The heart pounding terror, the cold sweat, the helplessness, the anger, the warmth, the passion, the heat, the emptiness are all the brain's subtle way of getting you to recognize that all is not what it seems to be in the real world and we have to _snap out of it._ We learn to cope and to sometimes even control the dreams. We feel liberated. Powerful. Masters of our own destiny. Then we grow even older and the horrors of life seep into our unconscious mind causing us to relive painful moments over and over and over again in response to a trauma whether perceived or recognized. Serving your country during a time of war only amplifies the subconscious' need to work through emotions and when you work for the world's most secretive intelligence gathering organization in the world that translates to some things best left forgotten. Over time the nightmares recede, compartmentalized or are dealt with in their own right. Sixteen hours was not nearly enough time for Auggie Anderson to maneuver past the emotional pitfalls of losing one Annie Walker.

Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport is located 20 miles from downtown Montreal, a city that Auggie once enjoyed visiting frequently before losing his sight in Tikrit over four years ago. The city was ripe with French history without the haughtiness of being French. It was Old World with a cosmopolitan atmosphere. When the airport was remodeled the concept was 'fluidity' which, for him, meant wide corridors, comfortable chairs, and most importantly a direct flight into Qatar and on to Kuala Lampur. He'd only been in the modern building once previously and he recalled the enormous windows allowing for natural light to seep in. His arrival from the VIA Station in Dorval had left him exhausted, unable to clear his mind. The tension in his neck left him feeling sluggish and his body felt as though it had gone six rounds with one of his Special Forces Instructors at Ft. Bragg. He was bone weary, but determined. The flight to Qatar would give him enough time to rest before moving on to Kuala Lampur in his quest to find Ben Mercer. Of course that presumed that he could stop the echo in his mind of Annie's last words to him. Every time he put himself back in that place he felt his throat clench, his palms sweat, and his heart begin to race. He was glad that he'd had the foresight years ago not to decommission one of his aliases and upon leaving New York traveled under the name Michael Monroe, Canadian businessman attached to Rio Tino mining. It was only a matter of time before anyone realized what he was doing – he wasn't an idiot. He fully expected Joan to send someone after him, but hopefully by the time they'd discovered his little 'clerical error' he would be well on his way to Qatar.

He made his way through the terminal with minimal assistance, insisting to the gate agent that he was perfectly capable of managing an airport. He was tired of pretending he was a helpless, hapless, nerd who needed to depend upon the kindness of strangers to help him through life. He'd long since adapted to losing his sight and while he still had his moments of anger with respect to the incident, he had long accepted that he had to embrace it and move forward. Of course, Auggie Anderson was strong enough of a person to recognize when he _was_ in need of help. Unfortunately, that moment occurred not long after clearing security when no braille signage could be discovered on the walls. Nearly three thousand steps later, he was alone with his thoughts at his gate after being unceremoniously deposited by a rather put out airport employee. If he ever had any intention of returning he would have complained, but then again he knew that this particular mission would have its consequences. He leaned back in the faux leather seat, closing his eyes as he allowed the last sixteen hours to breech his carefully constructed walls. By now Danielle would have been notified. He wondered what story she would have been told...car accident? Mugging? Depending on the damage to her body... Auggie felt the all too familiar sting in his eyes and quickly put a stop to that particular line of thought. He had to focus on the present. Bad intel made for bad ops. He was going to find Ben Mercer even if it meant flying around the globe. He wondered what it was about her that made him so blood thirsty and, more importantly, when it was that he first knew that she was so incredibly special.

_"Annie Walker?" he asked quizzically as he ran his laser can over her face._

_ She was startled momentarily but he, naturally, couldn't see her face, "Yes."_

_ "Auggie Anderson. Tech Ops. And your friendly neighborhood cruise director," he smiled brightly as he extended his hand, "Walk with me."_

_ She took it firmly, flashing what he could only assume was her million watt smile and followed him through one of the numerous corridors of the CIA. He was somewhat surprised that she hadn't alluded to his disability. She responded to him as he imagined she would respond to anyone. His natural tendency to erect walls wouldn't have him believing that this particular woman would be any different than anyone else, so he did as he always did._

_ "Blind guy leading you around the CIA. Insert ironic joke here," he remarked flippantly, a slight edge to his tone that he would never realize she'd caught as she matched him step for step._

_ "Jo Malone Grapefruit?" he asked as she remained quiet._

_ "Am I wearing too much perfume?" she asked quickly, her tone concerned that she might have been overzealous this morning._

_ "No," he told her as he stopped walking, turning his head slightly, "No, it's very subtle. A lot of ladies around here lay it on so thick it's like they're chumming for hammerheads."_

_ When he felt the sly hand of his co-worker run across his arm, he immediately plastered a sweet smile on his face, "Hey Bea!"_

_ He felt Annie smile next to him, the Anderson charm working its magic. Of course, it could have simply been the fact that Annie was different. Her aura, if you believed in such things, put you at ease. He found himself in unfamiliar territory with someone he'd just met not five minutes prior. Annie Walker, unbeknownst to her, had started to worm her way behind his carefully constructed defenses. _

The warmth he felt while surrounded by the memory of Annie was quickly replaced by the feeling of being doused with a bucket of ice water as a familiar, nasal voice met his highly tuned ears. Sitting up straighter, Auggie pulled his cane from his pocket and began to slowly reconstruct it, careful not to create too much noise as to distract him from his purpose. He needed confirmation. It would do him know good to be found _now. _If that voice belonged to he thought it belonged to then he seriously owed Stu a beer when, and if, he ever made it back to the beltway. Rising to his full height he allowed his head to turn into the direction of the voice and then he simply focused and listened.

_"Just arrived at the airport in Montreal. Passport hit says he's hopping a flight to Kuala Lampur via Doha,"_ the voice commented as it moved from Auggie's left only to pause directly in front of his gate.

Auggie groaned and closed his eyes. _Jai Wilcox. _ It was curious that Joan had chosen to send that smug bastard into the field to retrieve him. He felt his blood begin to boil again as he recalled the reason the Agent was reassigned to DPD from the 7th floor to begin with – to keep tabs on Annie and to use her to draw out Ben Mercer. When he'd learned of Jai's dubious assignment he'd wanted nothing more than to break the pompous ass' nose, but it was Annie who reminded him that we all played a role in the machine that was the CIA. Her capacity to forgive astounded him and reminded him how important it was to remain grounded. She was his anchor.

_"Negative. Heading to the gate area now. I'll keep you posted,"_ Jai Wilcox's voice cut through his moment of anger, once again bringing him back to reality.

Auggie counted to ten as the footsteps began to fade to his left, moving in the direction of another gate. It was then he realized that his friendly guide had undoubtedly deposited him at the wrong gate. _So much for being _different_ from the French._ He slowly swung his cane to determine how much room he had and then quietly asked the first person he came upon to guide him towards the next gate. Taking the arm of the stranger, a soft spoken woman traveling alone, Auggie folded his cane and simply allowed himself to be taken. They conversed softly. He explained that the man they were following was an old friend and he wanted to surprise him. She marveled at his ability to be able to pick him out of a crowd considering his disability. She was saccharine sweet. It almost made him want to throw up considering how overt she was being with her flirtation. _Rule #1: Never pick up a random woman at the airport._ He was jarred suddenly as she stopped, her body tensing as he felt her turn towards him.

"What is it?" Auggie asked concerned, his hand covering hers lightly as he angled his body so he would be standing in front of her.

She blushed at the touch of his hand over hers, "Your friend just walked through a secured area. When the door opened it looked like a long hallway?"

Auggie nodded slowly, his mind trying to work out why Jai would leave the passenger area, "He actually works for ICE. He must have been heading to an office."

"Oh! Well, it's about 30 meters ahead," she told him with a bright smile that was obviously lost on him, "You have a direct path with no obstacles."

Auggie nodded to her, patted her on the hand, and then made his way toward the door as he listened for her tiny footsteps to recede into the background. Airport traffic in the terminal was light and while his destination was not an overly popular route, it was a hub to other parts of the globe; he _was_ several hours early. He caught snippets of conversation in French, English, and Arabic. He pulled up short of his destination when he heard the door open again, heavier footfalls brushing past him but oblivious of his presence. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, a sure sign that his instincts were telling him something was not quite right with this situation. He would be _damned _if anyone got to Jai Wilcox before _him_.

* * *

><p>Jai slipped his cell phone back into his pocket and ran a hand through his thick, black hair. His conversation with Stu had left him restless and he couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he was missing something. Auggie had chosen this route carefully based on intel that was three days old according to Stu. In their line of work unless the intel is corroborated once it is older than a few hours it's generally considered dead. There was something that he was missing. Mercer was a highly trained assassin and it really served no purpose to set up Annie Walker in the middle of the Afghan desert. Something didn't smell right and the sudden thought that this was an elaborate Agency set up crossed his mind. It wouldn't be the first time the higher ups viewed field officers as expendable. So engrossed in his own thoughts, Jai failed to remember the cardinal rule of being a field operative. <em>Always be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are<em>. The hand on his shoulder spun him around too quickly for a reaction and the hard crack of a right hook to his jaw slammed him backward into the wall.

Jai spit the blood that seeped from the corner of his mouth onto the crisp, white floor and held his guard in front of his face in expectation of the next barrage of blows," Mercer!"

Ben Mercer was a force to be reckoned with under normal circumstances and as he paced around his former handler like a caged panther, his blue eyes revealing the cold fury within, Jai realized that he would have to act fast if he intended to come out of this in one piece.

"You were supposed to _protect _her!" Mercer snapped as he stopped his momentum momentarily.

Jai's eyes narrowed as he followed the man's every move, circling as he'd been taught over the years, "Kinda hard to do when you're _purposefully _putting her in harms way."

With a guttural cry, misinterpreting the words spoken to him, Ben Mercer lunged forward and landed a solid jab to Jai's nose. The dark haired man recoiled with a loud grunt, slamming into the wall beside him. With a palm flat against the wall he angled himself 45 degrees to allow himself more room to navigate in the close quarters of the dingy back hallway tucked deep inside the airport. Mercer threw a punch, Jai countered with his right arm and landed an upper cut to Mercer's abdomen with his left. Mercer hissed as his left arm grabbed Jai's wrist, pulling him in as he landed a well placed forward kick to the knee. As Jai hunched over in a moment of pain, Mercer grabbed him by the throat and forced him to full height as he slammed him once again into the wall.

"The _Agency_ is responsible for that," Ben spat as his lip curled into a vicious sneer, his fingertips pressing into the man's larynx.

Jai's eyes went wide at a position over Ben's left shoulder, dark eyes seeming to peer into his very soul, and at that moment he realized that this was one predicament he could have never forseen. He gasped for air, black dots dancing in front of his eyes, as he watched the blunt object strike Ben at the base of his skull. Immediately the grip on his throat was gone and Jai struggled for breath as he watch Mercer stumble backward and away from them.

"Auggie-" Jai choked as he brought an arm up to his neck and another one out to the wall.

Auggie reached forward and grabbed his arm, propelled him forward, and kneed him in the abdomen. Jai felt whatever breath he had left in him rush out with the single blow. A strong hand gripped his neck, pulling him upright without a moment to recover, and then he felt the heel of the man's hand connect with his nose. The last thing Jai Wilcox saw as he collapsed to the ground was the look of pure anger on the blind man's face. It would be a long time before he lived this one down.

With his hand flat against Jai's chest, Auggie closed his eyes and his body immediately stiffened, "You know, Mercer, a smarter man would have remained hidden."

From his position in the shadows, Ben Mercer could not conceal his shock as he wiped the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth, "You weren't subtle in your attempts to find me, Anderson. Most people would have called."

"_I'm_ not most people," Auggie responded as he rose to full height, his hand loosely gripped around the handle of his white cane.

Mercer watched as the man closed his eyes and took in two deep breaths in an attempt to center himself for the inevitable confrontation, "We both want the same thing."

Auggie chuckled darkly, a dangerous smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Somehow I doubt that."

Mercer narrowed his eyes as he watched the man before him seemingly take in his surroundings. It was unnerving. He'd heard stories about the blind head of Tech Ops in the DPD. Stories about his blindness being some sort of charade because the man seemed to know instinctively who you were and where you were at any given moment. His reactions to stimuli, often looking directly at you in a way that seemed to look right through you, caused more than enough people to talk about their interactions. Ben had long since read his file upon learning of the man's growing relationship with Annie. Special Forces. Purple Heart. The man was highly skilled with proficiency in Krav Maga, Muay Thai, Tai Kwon Do, Jujitsu, and boasts one of the highest IQs in the Agency. It was no secret why August Anderson remained in the Agency after the explosion took his sight four years ago.

"Anderson," Mercer began as he slowly began to resume his movements, an attempt to disorient the man and gain the upper hand.

_Remain calm_. Those were the words running through his mind as Ben attempted to throw him off with scuffs, taps to the wall, and calling his name as he paced around the small hallway. Auggie had been surprised to learn that it was Mercer who followed Jai into the secluded corridor. He'd listened with mock interest as the two fought. He could tell by the blows that the fight was uneven, but then again he'd never had much confidence in Wilcox's ability to fight. _Fortune favors the bold_. That was the old saying, wasn't it? In a lightning fast move, Auggie closed the distance between them and landed a solid forward kick to Mercer's chest. The man flew backward, hand reaching to the wall to steady himself much as Jai had done before. Mercer blocked a series of three blows, grabbing one of Auggie's wrists and twisting but not before the dark haired man landed a well place kick to his kidneys. Auggie righted himself, his hands in guard position as he patiently awaited the next move. Mercer came forward, the movement of air caused Auggie to angle himself slightly and he brought his elbow up to strike. It hit directly in the ribs, then he pivoted on his foot and landed another elbow to Mercer's head. As Ben staggered backward, disoriented from the blow, Auggie delivered a merciless punch to his nose. The larger man fell to the ground in a heap with his opponent immediately on top of him, his strong fingers attempting to collapse his windpipe.

From his unceremonious position on the ground, Ben Mercer recognized that he'd sorely underestimated the skill, ability, determination, and absolute fury that ran through the blood of Auggie Anderson. Swallowing hard, his Adam's Apple barely moving between the fingers of the man poised to cause considerable damage if further provoked. Searching his mind for any tactical advantage _other_ than relying on his sight, Ben quickly allowed his gaze to fall to the unconscious body of his former handler. Wilcox picked a fine time to have his ass handed to him by a _blind_covert operative. The thought was hypocritical, naturally, but Ben was confident that he could somehow turn the tables. The crux of the matter was whether he could do it without inflicting or receiving serious injury. Judging from the tension in his captor's body, the anger coming off him in waves and so palpable that one could taste it, Ben thought that would be damned near _impossible_.

"Auggie!" a hoarse cry from behind startled him from delivering the killing blow.

Mercer's eyes went wide as he saw Wilcox push himself up to his knees, a hand outstretched as he fell into a coughing fit. Anderson hadn't moved and the tension had not left his body, though Mercer detected _some_ change in him albeit slight.

Jai rose on shaky limbs, his knee protesting as he placed more weight on it than he ought to have, "If you _kill _him we'll never know what happened-_"_

"We _know_ what happened, Jai. You were there. I was there," Auggie practically seethed with anger as he made no move to remove himself from his current position.

"No!" Jai coughed again and gingerly rubbed his throat, "You've got it wrong!"

"He _killed_ her!" Auggie spat, the venom evident in his voice.

"No!" Ben croaked as he risked a slight shake of his head, "I _loved _her."

Auggie's fist connected with Ben's nose in a sickening crunch, "Annie is _dead_ because of you!"

"The intel was _bad_ Auggie, but we know it didn't come from Mercer. She's at Ramstein! That's why I'm here. That's why I have been tracking you for nearly a day. You left. You left before Ranger 4 confirmed it. Annie is _alive_!"

_Alive?_ The moment of hesitation was all Mercer needed to extricate himself from his position on the ground. His blow to Auggie's head set the man flying across the floor and Mercer scrambled backward before the younger man could recover. His hand went to his nose, pain shooting from the broken bone, and wiped the blood that trailed down his face.

"Talk fast, Jai," Mercer growled as he watched Auggie push himself up to a kneeling position, spitting blood from his mouth.

Jai took in a deep breath and reached into his jacket pocket, slowly retrieving his cell phone. He flipped open the cover and punched in a series of numbers. Watching the two men warily, Jai chose his next words very carefully.

"Joan, I'm putting you on speaker. I need confirmation of Walker's status," Jai conveyed shakily as he then removed the phone from his ear and pressed another button.

_"Jai? Annie is stable. She arrived at Ramstein four hours ago and is in surgery. No further updates," _the even voice of Joan Campbell filled the room, _"What the hell is going on?"_

"I've made contact with Auggie and Mercer," Jai responded evenly, "I'll get back to you on the particulars later."

Auggie found himself leaning against the wall for support, his face impassive as he seemed to be processing what he'd heard only moments before. This _could_ be a ruse, couldn't it? A clever way to lure him back to Langley. Of course, Mercer was here. _Think Auggie!_ He closed his eyes and took in a deep, steadying breath as he heard both Mercer and Wilcox shuffle around the room. The tension in the confined area had resolved somewhat, but the undercurrent still remained.

"Blind guy takes down two CIA elite," Auggie smirked, his spark seemingly back as he sought to inject levity in the situation.

Jai rolled his eyes, "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"


	4. Chapter 4 Use Somebody

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** Hope you're still along for the ride! The first three chapters were meant to set the stage. Thank you again to everyone who reviewed – whether signed or unsigned. It means a lot to know that you're following and you enjoy it. Constructive feedback always welcome! :) Without further ado...Chapter 4.

**Song:** Laura Jansen – Use Somebody (cover of Kings of Leon – it works as well, but this version is softer).

**Chapter 4:** **Use Somebody**

_**Now...**_

The chaotic movement of reality sometimes hits a point where you need to stop, stand back, listen, smell, feel and look at the world around you to really see its pure unadulterated beauty. The notion that the glass is half full is what allowed _Captain_ Anderson to work through the trials and tribulations of his disability shortly after arriving at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center four years ago. LRMC is the largest American hospital outside of the United States providing tertiary care for over 250,000 U.S. Military personnel and their families. That it served as evacuation and treatment center for all injured servicemen and women, contractors, and coalition forces serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pacific Command, Africa Command, Central Command, and European Command was a factoid that Auggie Anderson knew firsthand. He'd spent weeks in these very facilities after his injury talking to specialist after specialist to discuss the permanence of his sight loss. No one ever agreed on a diagnosis and for his part, Auggie presumed worst case scenario and made the best of it. He wouldn't allow one incident to define his life. So, it was with great unease that he found himself standing in the middle of a busy hallway, his hands touching the cold tile that hinted at its post-World War II construction. The smell of antiseptic, dampness, and death rounded every corner until it nearly overpowered him.

"Auggie?" the tentative and quiet voice of Joan Campbell roused him from his stupor.

Auggie raised his head slowly, his eyes shining with unshed tears, and swallowed the lump in his throat as memories of four years ago flashed through his mind's eye, "Joan? Is that you?"

He felt her soft hand on his forearm, the look of concern on her face lost on him, "We should talk, Auggie."

Auggie frowned as a look of panic flashed across his face, his body rigid, "Joan, is she-"

"What?" Joan recoiled for a moment and then quickly squeezed his arm as she realized how her words must have been taken, "No! No! She's stable."

"Take me to her?" his voice was small, his nerves coming through with his small request.

She regarded him carefully, searching for any sign that he would not be mentally strong enough to handle what was to come, "Ok."

Auggie released the breath he was holding and gently took Joan's arm, "Thank you."

Joan nodded tersely as she began to lead him down the long, narrow hallway, "You need to know what you're walking into, Auggie. She was hurt badly. Shrapnel tore into her right side puncturing her lung causing hemorrhaging. The bleeding was nearly fatal. The doctors estimate that she lost nearly 40% of her total circulating blood volume and she received a transfusion at Bagram. It took nearly four hours to stabilize her. She coded three times in Afghanistan and once here upon arrival nearly eight hours ago. After a six hour surgery they placed her in the ICU. She was lucid for five minutes. She asked for you. Then she fell into a coma. They say with trauma like this it is to be expected. Erring on the side of caution, they have her on oxygen and hooked to a variety of IVs and monitors. I need to know that you can hold it together. We _will_ discuss your extra curricular activities in Montreal, but I know you need to see her. There are two chairs next to her bed. I'll walk you to the one closest to her – about 10 steps from the door. You'll hear the machines the second you walk in."

Auggie's face remained impassive throughout Joan's monologue, digesting the information she provided as he would in any other briefing. He went through the motions of nodding his head while on the inside he registered words like _coded_ and _coma_ that caused his blood to run cold. He paused at the door, his hand reaching out to touch the room number written in braille, and turned his head towards Joan. She gently squeezed his elbow in a show of support but then uncharacteristically pulled him into a tight embrace.

"You can _not_ do that again, Auggie!" she whispered in his ear, her voice urgent and filled with veiled anger, "You are going to be the death of me, August Anderson."

Auggie took in a deep breath and nodded slowly, "I lost myself, Joan."

Joan pulled away, keeping him at arms length, and searched his face, "We'll talk after you see her. You _need_ to see for yourself that she's alive."

He felt his breath catch in his throat as the low, steady beat of the heart monitor caught his ear and he had to fight the instinct to turn on his heel and walk the other way. Walking into this room would make every, single emotion he'd felt in the last sixteen hours bubble to the surface and there would be no way to stop it from happening. His carefully constructed walls would crumble to the ground spectacularly.

"There is a chair ten paces ahead of you on your left. The bed is directly in front of you. From the edge of the bed to your right about three paces is the bathroom," Joan explained as she helped him put one foot in front of the other, "There's a metal railing protecting her from rolling out of bed. I'm going to put your hand on it, Auggie."

Auggie felt the cold metal against his palm and he realized in that moment that his throat felt as though he'd swallowed a cup of sand. He stared straight ahead, imagining the scene in front of him. He remembered visiting men wounded in battle in this hospital before his accident. He tried not to imagine what her soft skin would look like in that condition. With shaky fingers he reached out a hand and then stopped himself a few inches from Annie's face. Joan, sensing his indecision, reached out to place her hand on top of his and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"I need to see her," he whispered, a single tear sliding down his cheek the moment Joan ghosted her hand over his.

Squeezing his hand she slowly raised it to the top of Annie's head then slowly followed the lines of the woman's face as she described what she was seeing to the man next to her, "She has a bandage around her forehead. They tell me she experienced a blunt force trauma to the head at some point. Luckily there was no brain swelling. The MRI was clean. Her left cheek has a soft bruise, it's purple but it will heal in time. She has a plastic oxygen mask here. She is taking soft breaths. You can see the puffs of condensation as she exhales. Her neck and shoulders are unharmed as were both arms. There is a monitor on her index finger, so be careful."

Auggie felt his fingertips ghost over Annie's and then felt Joan's hand bring them together, "Thank you Joan."

She placed a firm hand on his shoulder, her heart breaking for the young man beside her, "I need to check in with Arthur. I'll be back soon. If you need anything there is a call button to your left next to the bed."

Auggie nodded, his hand feeling out to his left for the chair he knew to be there, and then slowly sank into its uncomfortable seat. Lowering his head to the cool railing next to him he allowed himself a moment to grieve for the situation before him. Annie was a strong woman. She had made it this far, hadn't she? Doctors say that comatose patients can still hear people around them and some patients upon awakening remember much of what was said.

"Annie," he cleared his throat, his voice raw from disuse as he gently stroked the back of her hand, "It's Auggie. I'm here Annie."

Her heart rate remained steady, the monitor never wavering from the cadence set upon his arrival. He sighed as he squeezed her hand and rose to his feet again, this time leaning over to kiss her forehead lightly.

"I love you too, Annie Walker," he whispered in her ear, breathing in her scent.

Auggie returned to his seat, ran a hand through his hair, and leaned his head against the wall, "I kicked Jai's ass, by the way. You missed a rather epic take down, if I do say so myself. Everyone underestimates the blind guy. Of course I'm more proud of kicking _Mercer's_ ass. That guy is legend, but you already know that. I'm sure you're wondering why I was involved in a fight and I bet you'll read me the riot act when you wake up. The thing is, Annie...when I thought you were dead...I was lost. I left Langley. Went to New York. Montreal. I was planning on hopping a plane to Doha then to Kuala Lampur with the intent to kill Ben Mercer. Oh, I know. Stupid plan. After all, I've never been to Kuala Lampur. Ironically, Ben came to me and so did Jai. They got in a couple of good punches. My jaw is still sore from Mercer's right hook, but in the end we realized we'd been played."

_"I can see the wheels turning, man," Jai immediately reached out for the dark haired man, his hand firmly on the other's shoulder, "I heard the transmission myself-"_

_ "And _you _are so incredibly trustworthy," Ben scoffed as he folded his arms across his chest, a smirk on his lips._

_ "Not helping!" Jai growled as he raised an eyebrow at his former operative, "Auggie, listen to me. I know you want to tear Ben apart – believe me I empathize. Right now we have more pressing matters."_

_ "Why did you do it Mercer?" Auggie asked, his voice laced with anguish as he tried in vain to break Jai's solid grip on his shoulder, "I thought she meant something to you!"_

_ Mercer frowned, his eyes sparking dangerously once again, "What exactly are you accusing me of Anderson? You send me a cryptic note about meeting you in Montreal and I hear through back channels that Annie is _dead-"

_"Wait!" Jai held up his hand and turned to Mercer, his eyes flashing as Auggie tried to throw off his hand once again, "Stop! Something isn't right!"_

_ Auggie frowned as he finally shook Jai's hand from his shoulder, tapping his cane on the floor and straightening his sweater, "I didn't _invite _you to Montreal, Mercer. Just like he didn't send the intel requesting Annie meet him in Afghanistan."_

_ Ben laughed deeply at the man's words, "Afghanistan? Annie? _My_ Annie? Why would I do that? Are you insane?"_

_ "Well, I wasn't exactly _read_ in on the Op until the very end," Auggie grumbled and turned to the sound of Ben's voice glaring sufficiently._

_ "The intel was triple checked," Jai explained as he pinched the bridge of his nose, he was rapidly feeling the effects of being pummeled, "Even I couldn't deny it's authenticity. There were things in there that only you and Annie knew about, Ben. It's why she went."_

_ "What was so damned important?" Ben asked quietly, his emotions carefully reigned in as he stared down his former handler._

_ "An alleged terror cell. One poised to take down all of the terror cells in Afghanistan," Jai responded frankly with a shrug of his shoulders._

_ Ben turned on Auggie in that moment, "You! _You_ allowed this to happen? You _know_ that I could never get close enough to a cell to infiltrate it no matter _how_ good I am-"_

_ Auggie squared his shoulders, his jaw set, "As I said. I wasn't read in on the op until it was in play and too far gone. As soon as I was read in I knew it was a set up."_

_ "But why?" Jai asked as he threw his hands up in frustration, the pieces of the puzzle just didn't want to fit together into a perfect picture."_

_ "So, you didn't send me a message?" Mercer raised an eyebrow as he looked to Auggie for confirmation._

_ "I sent you a message," Auggie responded with a wry smile, "I believe I called you a coward. Of course, it could have said that I made dinner reservations at 8:00 for all I remember. It's been a adventurous sixteen hours and standard Malay isn't exactly my forte."_

_ Mercer chuckled despite himself and pulled out a slip of paper from his jacket, "This came yesterday. I arrived in New York and then received a second message, this time via encrypted cell phone, telling me to meet you here."_

_ Auggie tensed momentarily, a hand raised to silence both men, and it was then he heard the sound. Pushing Jai against the wall, earning him a swift shot to the shoulder, Auggie watched as a bullet ricocheted off the floor and down the hall. Mercer, seeing the shot dove to the ground and reached under his right pant leg for his own weapon. It was then all hell broke loose._

"You were in a gun fight at Pierre-Elliott- Trudeau?" a mumbled whisper filled the room followed by a soft chuckle, "Auggie Anderson you have some explaining to do."

"Annie?" Auggie called out as he raised his head from the metal railing, tears in his eyes, and reached for the call button, "Annie!"

"You're here." she squeezed his hand lightly, a small smile playing at her lips as her hand reached for her oxygen mask, pulling it away so she could talk.

Auggie smiled for the first time he could remember and chuckled, "Flights are cheap this time of year. Government discount and all that."

The door opened slowly to reveal a tall man dressed in green scrubs holding a clipboard, "Welcome back Miss Walker. My name is Dr. Latham and I've been monitoring your recovery since you arrived."

Annie took in a deep breath, her eyes glancing over to Auggie and she blinked slowly, "Auggie you look terrible."

Laughing he leaned over the railing and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "You wound me, Annie."

"Miss Walker, how much do you remember?" Dr. Latham asked, smiling at the easy banter between the two.

Annie took in a deep, steadying breath and closed her eyes as she tried to form a picture in her mind of the last thing she remembered. Her fingers twitched as she remembered the feel of the M-4 in her hands, the cold steel and raw power that the weapon represented. She remembered how her eyes softened as she watched the interaction between the men in Ranger Team 4, recalling the conversation she and Auggie had shared a few months prior about how he'd become blinded. Then she felt the terror as she found herself in the middle of a war zone. She'd seen people die before. In her line of work that was inevitable, but to see it done with such brutality was more than she could handle. The first explosion rocked her to the core, imagining how Auggie must have felt in those final moments before the world went dark. It was in that moment that she realized just how much he meant to her and how lucky she was to have him in her life.

Hearing her heart rate increase through the tiny beeps on the monitor, Auggie squeezed her hand reassuringly, "It's gonna be ok, Annie. You're ok."

Annie closed her eyes at the contact and avoided the question completely as she tried to slow the adrenaline flowing through her body, "How long have I been here?"

Dr. Latham cocked his head to one side as he regarded the interaction between the two and wondered what the young woman was hiding from the man by her side. He wondered if Miss Walker felt uncomfortable relaying mission details to him considering she wasn't aware of his status or his clearance.

"You've been here a little over thirty six hours," Dr. Latham responded as he wrote down some information on the chart as he began to look at the readouts on the various monitors around the room.

"Where exactly is _here_?" she asked quietly, her eyes suddenly becoming heavy as her short exertion took its toll.

" Landstuhl Regional Medical Center," Latham responded as he placed the clipboard under his arm, "Rest Miss Walker. We'll discuss your memory after you've rested sufficiently."

"Will you stay?" she turned to Auggie, her eyes closing on their own volition.

"I'll be here," he told her firmly gently cupped her face with his other hand.

Annie sighed and then allowed her body to be pulled under, relishing the safety she felt with her best friend by her side. Her mind was swimming with thoughts and images, but she was in no position to act on them. She felt her eyes sting with tears, but before a single drop could escape she felt herself drifting into oblivion. Auggie knew the moment she drifted off to sleep, not because the monitor's incessant beeping told him so but because he could feel the soft puffs of air against the hand that rested near her cheek. He also knew her well enough to know that she was keeping something from him. She'd avoided the question about what she remembered and he had to wonder if the trauma might have affected her short-term recall. Auggie Anderson knew one thing for certain: Now that Annie Walker was alive and well, he'd be damned if he allowed her to be hurt again.


	5. Chapter 5 Highway to Hell

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** My apologies for the length of time between updates! I honestly had to write a future chapter and back into it in order to get here. The good news is that I have a couple written now.

On a side note, I know that I tend to employ the use of fast forwards and flashbacks...some folks don't enjoy them...but I do hope they work in forwarding the plot.

**Song:** AC/DC – Highway to Hell

**Chapter 5:** Highway to Hell

_**Three Weeks Later...**_

They say that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. If Auggie Anderson was going to go to hell, he'd make _damned _sure to take Jai Wilcox and Ben Mercer with him. _Especially_ Ben Mercer. An evil glint flashed behind his eyes that would have made even the most nefarious terrorist take a step back in fear. Never would he have imagined that he and Jai Wilcox would be of like mind when it came to Ben Mercer. It was a pleasant surprise given that the younger Wilcox channeled much of the devious behavior that made his father so notorious in the Agency. _Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer_.

"Who knew you had it in you to be so evil, Auggie!" the amused voice of Annie Walker jarred him from his thoughts.

"Annie!" he smiled widely as he heard the soft shuffle of her flat hospital shoes as she entered her room, "We should hang a bell around your neck until we can get you back in your trademark heels!"

She slowly made her way over to his seat by her bed and looked down at him over her nose before ruffling his hair, "And deprive you of the opportunity to exercise your spidey senses? No way!"

He smirked and folded his arms across his chest, "Even superheroes need an advantage."

She brought her hand to her chest in mock horror, "You've completely destroyed my fantasy! Here I thought you _belonged_ on that pedestal."

Auggie slowly rose from his chair and pulled her into a gentle hug, his chin resting on the top of her head, "Heaven forbid I destroy one of your fantasies, Walker."

She pulled away from him and swatted at his arm before turning back toward her bed, "I have a session in a few minutes."

Auggie felt the energy shift the moment the words were uttered. She'd made it quite known over the last few weeks how much she loathed talking with Dr. Weiss. The Army Lieutenant made quite the impression on them both when she first introduced herself. The woman was 5'2" and held no punches. Annie would come back weary, withdrawn and ready to sleep for hours after each and every one. He knew enough to stay out of her way, especially when iritable.

"I'll see you when you get back. We can have tonight's mystery meat, I can regain my crown as the Scrabble King, and then we can call it an early night," Auggie smiled, his fingers lacing into hers as he squeezed lightly.

"Sounds good," she sighed as she slowly moved back toward the door.

It wasn't long before he heard the heavy footfalls of the two men he'd been thinking about before Annie arrived in her room. He rose from his chair, held out his hand, and seemed to know exactly where each stood.

"Jai. Ben."

"Auggie," Ben frowned as he shook the man's hand, "I hate when you do that."

Auggie grinned and shrugged, "I know. It's why I do it."

"We just saw Annie," Jai changed the subject, knowing that when provoked Auggie's humor could be deadly, "She's got more color."

"She seems different," Ben remarked quietly as he walked over to her bed, his hand running over the coverlet.

Auggie opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by Jai's sharp recognition that things were about to get heated, "Ben and I have traced the communique back to DC. Everything is in this file."

Auggie's eyebrows raised in surprise as he gently took the file from Jai, "Braille. You shouldn't have."

"Auggie, be serious for a moment," Jai sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I am," Auggie quipped as he ran his fingertips along the document, "It's rather anticlimactic to know the intel came from within the Agency. Especially given Arthur and Joan were none the wiser."

"We believe _someone_ on the 7th Floor knew," Ben remarked as he walked over to the window, his eyes ever alert for a danger that would not come.

"This _reeks _of you, Mercer," Auggie pinched the bridge of his nose and rose from his chair, "None of this would have happened if you just _played by the rules_."

Jai put a hand on Auggie's shoulder to stop the man from moving forward, "Auggie-"

"What's going on here?" came a startled voice from the doorframe.

"Annie?" Auggie frowned and turned his head toward her voice.

"Is there such a thing as a delayed concussion?" she asked slowly, her hands on her hips as she met the gaze of each man in the room, "The world hasn't imploded so that _must_ mean I've landed in Bizarro World."

"Annie!" Auggie perked up, his smile a million watts, "You speak geek!"

"Not now, Auggie," Jai hissed as he patted the man on the shoulder then cleared his throat, "Good to see you Annie."

"Please tell me you're not having a clandestine meeting in my hospital room discussing matters pertaining to me," she narrowed her eyes and dropped her voice an octave to make her point, "I may be injured but I can _still_ make your lives a living hell! I will _not_ be coddled."

"May I have a word with Annie?" Ben asked quietly, his eyes shifting to Auggie and Jai imperceptibly.

"Sure thing. We'll go grab some coffee," Jai answered for Auggie and upon his snort of protest pulled the blind man out of the room with more force than necessary.

Annie slowly made her way over to the bed and, with Ben's help, managed to sit over the side. She hadn't seen him since Mexico City and had heard that he'd once again gone off the grid. A part of her suspected that this particular incident had more to do with _him_ than it did with her. Another part of her was afraid to admit that her employer found her expendable and would go through anyone, including Auggie, to get to Ben Mercer.

"Annie," Ben breathed her name like a prayer, his eyes full of regret and sorrow.

"Save it Ben," she told him sharply as she took in a deep breath.

"I meant what I said," he told her quietly, his hand reaching out to cup her face.

Annie met his gaze and felt her body tense at his touch, "You're going to have to be more specific."

Ben chuckled softly, "The polygraph. You changed me, Annie. You made me question my motives-"

Annie shook her head emphatically, "Save it, Ben. I am shot at on simple brush passes _every_ day because someone on the 7th Floor thinks you're too valuable and _I'm_ expendable."

"You've changed, Annie. He's changed you," Ben marveled as he searched her face for any sign of the woman he'd first met three years ago in Sri Lanka.

Annie frowned and bit her lip, "You've put _him_ in danger. If I have to track you down myself I will Ben."

Ben shook his head sadly and bent forward slightly to press his lips against hers, "I'd do anything for you Annie."

Auggie didn't need his eyes to understand the scene playing out before him. All he needed was to feel Jai's arm tense, the sound of his breath sucking the oxygen from the room, and the telltale sign of lips meeting to tell him that Mercer kissed Annie. Mercer was _good_. He had to give the man credit. Turning on his heel Auggie made his way down the hallway, cane swaying back and forth to ensure he did not walk into anything, and ignored Jai's repeated calls after him. He needed a moment to himself while he processed everything that he'd learned. Truth be told, he needed to get back to Washington and now he had his excuse.

* * *

><p>The next morning Annie found herself distracted during physical therapy much to the chagrin of the woman making her life a living hell these last few weeks. Each movement sent hot white shots of pain up and down her body but she refused to allow the pain to get the best of her. She found herself focused on the dark haired man working out on the heavy bag, pummeling it with precision that even a sighted man would be hard pressed to replicate. He moved with a grace that she often admired and sometimes envied. She was clumsy and chaos. He was stability and order. She found herself remembering a day a week ago when she'd found out from Dr. Weiss that she had visitors.<p>

_ "Annie, you have visitors," Dr. Weiss smiled as she placed a hand on Annie's shoulder, turning her slightly towards the group of tall, physically fit men dressed in Army camouflage._

_ Annie's eyes narrowed as she searched the group momentarily and then felt her breath catch in her throat, "Are those the-"_

_ Dr. Weiss smiled softly and squeezed the younger woman's shoulder, "Yes, those are the men who extracted you from Afghanistan."_

_ Annie's face paled considerably and her teeth began to chatter as her eyes darted wildly around the room as though looking for something. She had neglected to share with Auggie that the very men who were assigned to her were the same men assigned to his old unit. Somehow she felt that if she'd let him know the true ramifications of the mission that he would somehow become unhinged. She felt Dr. Weiss' hand on her shoulder as she watched the men gravitate towards the blind man hitting the heavy bag. She flinched when she saw them salute Auggie, who was tense the moment they made contact. Her heart broke as she saw one of the men step forward and clap him on the back. Tears burned her eyes as she watched him shift uncomfortably in their presence. Being here was a constant reminder and yet he stayed. He stayed for her._

She felt her breath hitch and she cried out, falling to the ground in pain – clutching her ribs as the PT reached for her arm. Auggie, hearing her cry of distress, steadied the heavy bag and quickly made his way across the room. He always knew where she was, it was so ingrained in him at this point that he probably didn't even need his cane to find her. Dropping to his knees he placed a hand on her shoulder only to find himself flat on his back as she threw off his hand.

"I am not an invalid!" she snaps, her eyes blazing and had he been able to see the look on her face in that moment he would have probably recoiled from the venom that marred her normally beautiful features.

He'd expected this sooner or later, after all he knew exactly what toll physical therapy can take on a body, but at the same time he'd thought that Annie wouldn't unleash her fury on _him_, "Ok Annie. You know that's not my intention."

He'd said it so evenly, his eyes reflecting the concern his tone had taken, and she wanted nothing more in that moment than to destroy him. The haze of red flashed in front of her eyes so quickly that had she been rationale it would have frightened her to no end. She'd managed to maintain control over her fear and anger, but something inside her audibly snapped. He'd maintained his calm and he'd been her support for three weeks never pushing her beyond her limitations. When she suffered minor setbacks he was the voice in her ear, like he always was, bringing her back home. She didn't want him to be a lap dog. Her Saint Bernard. She didn't want him to put his life on hold for her. She didn't deserve it.

"Right," she responded, her jaw clenching as she rose to her feet, and then carefully chose her next words because they had to do the right amount of damage, "You can't even _see_ what you're doing, Auggie! I didn't _ask_ you for your help! Take a page from your _own_ book and know when to back the _hell_ off!"

"Jesus Annie!" her physical therapist gasped as she watched the blonde unleash the fury of her words.

Auggie's face flushed for a moment as he took deep, steadying breaths to control the feeling of hurt that hit him in the center of his chest. He couldn't see her face, but he could feel the heat of the words. He knew that she was lashing out. He'd done it to so many people after his injury that he'd successfully managed to isolate himself from everyone except Joan Campbell. He could feel a ripple of energy behind him and he knew in that moment that Dr. Weiss had entered the room to take Annie for a session.

"Fine," Auggie held his hands up and sighed, the resignation in his voice was audible.

"Why are you still here?" Annie continued, the heat of the moment and the anger she felt bubbling to the surface.

Pursing his lips and narrowing his eyes as he prepared for the next volley of fire, "You _know_ why I'm here."

"Another cog in the wheel, Auggie," she snapped, her body so close to his that he could feel the heat radiating from her, "I _told_ you that I don't remember _anything_! I'm not _going_ to remember anything so go crawling back to Joan like the good little lap dog you are!"

The force of her words stung more than he could have ever imagined and for a moment he felt an overwhelming need to apologize to every single person he'd come across in those first few weeks after losing his sight. If he stayed in the line of fire for any longer it would certainly cause permanent damage. She was lashing out at him in a way that was so uncharacteristic for her. It was moments like this when he truly wished that he could see her face. The venom was carefully constructed and he knew her well enough to know that they were being said with a purpose. She _wanted_ to hurt him. For the life of him August Anderson couldn't put his finger on why exactly that was.

_Auggie wiped the sweat from his brow as he reached for his water bottle, his breathing coming in deep pants as he felt the exhilaration of winning a round with the heavy bag. He remembered the first time after his accident that he'd been able to win a sparring match with his physical therapist. So caught up in the emotion of realizing that though he'd lost his sight it did not mean that he was less of a person that he'd failed to recognize that he was crying until his PT clapped him on the shoulder. Being back here after so many years brought up the memories of his own recovery and the dark places he'd found himself in those earlier days. He'd come across doctors and nurses that he'd cut to the quick with his sharp tongue only to apologize for his behavior. So many of them were simply happy to see him as well adjusted as he was that they even asked him to meet with several soldiers back from Afghanistan. At first he was reluctant, but after that first week with Annie he realized just how important it was to show support. _

_ "Captain Anderson?" a voice he knew almost as well as he knew his own came from his right and Auggie couldn't stop the wide smile that plastered his face._

_ "Of all the military hospitals in all the world, you walk into mine," Auggie shook his head in amazement, his hand reaching out to feel for the man whom had addressed him, "Curtis, what brings you to Landstuhl?"_

_ "We had a couple injured in our last mission," Curtis remarked as he eyed the man before him in amazement, "Had a free pass to check on 'em so we figured we'd also see how the spook was doing."_

_ Auggie frowned as he set down his water bottle on the stack of floor mats next to him, "Spook? Were you running Charikar?"_

_ "You really are all-knowing aren't you?" Curtis marveled as he grasped Auggie's forearm._

_ "You were with Annie?" Auggie pressed as he cocked his head to one side as though he had just been given a crucial piece of information._

_ Realization swept over Curtis like a bucket of cold water and he had to shake his head in amazement at the turn of events, "Hell of a mission, Auggie. She's lucky to be alive."_

_ "Guess I know who to thank for bringing her back to us," Auggie raised an eyebrow, his face the mask of pure calm but internally he wanted to throttle the woman for not telling him she'd been with his old unit._

_ "Tommy was injured," Curtis told him quietly knowing that his former superior would want to __know._

_ "How bad?" Auggie frowned and folded his arms across his chest, adopting a stance he'd rarely used since leaving the Army._

_ "Lost a finger," Curtis shrugged as he looked out into the gym, searching for the young blond woman, "She's a fighter that one."_

_ Auggie felt a ghost of a smile tug at his lips as he nodded imperceptibly, "That she is."_

Auggie knocked on her door quietly and waited patiently for her to invite him in. He'd known that Annie Walker was a fighter since the moment they met in the hallways of the CIA. Right now, Annie Walker was fighting herself and his presence was only serving to distract her from the real work she needed to complete at the hospital. When he heard her voice acknowledging his request to enter, he squeezed the handle of his bag in an attempt to steady his nerves. He knew the moment that she saw him because a small intake of breath could be heard.

"I'm being recalled to Washington," he told her quietly as he nodded to his bag.

Annie stiffened in bed, realizing that this was what she wanted but when confronted with the reality it hurt so much more than expected, "It's for the best."

"I'll call you when I land-"

"Of course," Annie cut him off and forced a smile to her face.

"If you need anything-"

"I'll call you," she responded with a hitch in her voice that she hoped that he wouldn't pick up on.

"Annie-"

"Have a safe flight, Auggie," she told him lightly and turned her attention back to her book.

Auggie Anderson suddenly felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he made his way from Annie's room. Good intentions. _So this is what hell feels like?_


	6. Chapter 6 Never Say Never

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** Here's the next installment. :) We've got 2 chapters left, I think.

**Song:** The Fray – Never Say Never

**Chapter 6:** Never Say Never

_**Two Weeks Later...Five Weeks Since Afghanistan**_

Walking away is easy. You put one foot in front of the other until all you can see is the whole world in front of you. Letting go. Now, that was a whole different story. Danielle marveled at Annie's ability to start over in a new town, make new friends, and thrive every single time their father moved the family. The trick was to grieve. To place all of the important memories in a box and bury it in the back yard before venturing out into the unknown. It was cathartic. She cried. She got angry. She promised that she'd write. Her friends promised the same. Yet in the end the memories faded, buried like the tiny shoebox that contained the essence of the relationships she had forged. One could argue that Annie accepted the inevitable at the tender age of 5, then 8, then 12, then 15, then 17, and then again when she was 18. As she flipped open her cell phone she ran her thumb across one of her favorite pictures. It was her first mission. She and Auggie stood proudly in front of the medical examiner's office and he _swore_ that she couldn't use a Listerine breath strip to lift the thumb print of the ME to gain them access. Oh, it wasn't the first time he'd underestimated her abilities and wouldn't be the last. It's what made their friendship so strong. They complimented each other. She pressed the top button on her phone and stared at the screen. _Do you wish to delete? Yes. No._ At age 30, Annie Walker found it infinitely more difficult to let go of a relationship she'd grown to value and love.

_Annie pulled open the door to Dr. Weiss' office, her body language resigned as she walked to the receptionist's desk and pulled out her identification card. The young officer looked up at her and smiled brilliantly, his chocolate eyes only serving to remind her why she was upset in the first place. Forcing a smile, she turned on her heel and made her way to a chair in the corner. The medical facility was state of the art, but it still held one foot firmly in the past with distinct Cold War decorating. _

_ "Dr. Weiss is ready for you Agent Walker."_

_ Annie looked up and nodded, slowly rising to her feet. In the five weeks she'd been in Landstuhl she had been poked, prodded, and forced into numerous stretches in an attempt to strengthen her ribs, lungs, and the muscles in her abdomen. She'd decided upon the first physical therapy session that she hated doctors and questioned her sanity for ever dating Dr. Scott. The irony that he shared the same last name as her therapist was not lost on her and served as one more reminder of just how far things had come. The quicker she moved through these mandated therapy sessions, the quicker she would be __released to come home. She reached for the doorknob gingerly, the memory of the last session haunting her as she fought to stamp down the guilt. He was gone. She couldn't change that. _

_ "Annie!" the cheerful voice of Lieutenant Abigail Weiss found its way to her ears, causing an involuntary shudder to wash over Annie's body._

_ "Dr. Weiss," Annie nodded as she dutifully took her chair opposite the good doctor._

_ "So," Dr. Weiss smiled as she regarded the younger woman before her, noticing immediately that something appeared to be terribly wrong, "How are you?"_

_ Annie regarded her warily and seemed to be calculating whether she should simply just give in and be honest or opt for the sarcastic route, "I'm fine."_

_ Dr. Weiss smirked and shook her head, "You've come to my office three times a week for five weeks, now. I know when you're lying to me, Annie."_

Annie closed her eyes as the unbidden tears once again threatened to spill. She _hated_ being so emotional. She _hated_ feeling so out of control. She _hated_ feeling like the rug was about to be pulled out from underneath her. She _hated_ feeling like a pawn and she _hated _that the one person she would lay her life down for was getting mixed up in Ben Mercer's CIA soap opera. Leaning against the cool pane of her hospital room window, Annie looked out over the campus and thought about all of the military personnel to cross the threshold. Flipping her cellphone over and over in her hand, Annie Walker was forced with the reality that she was just _damned_ good at running away. It was the 15th session yesterday that opened Pandora's Box and no amount of running away would change the pink elephant in the room.

_Dr. Weiss pulled her chair forward until she was sitting directly across from Annie, her eyes piercing into hers, "What happened to Agent Anderson? He's been surprisingly absent from your therapy these last few weeks. Your PT says he's been absent from your sessions as well, but you give vague responses when confronted."_

_ Annie stiffened and the unbidden tears burned her vision, "He was recalled to Washington."_

_ Dr. Weiss nodded slowly, internally hopeful that they would finally be able to get to the root of Annie's mental state, "That must be difficult for you. He'd been with you for much of the painful aspects of your recovery. How long has he been gone?"_

_ Annie shifted in her seat, swallowing the lump in her throat as she regarded the woman with suspicion, "He was. You know as well as I do that he left two weeks ago."_

_ Dr. Weiss smiled warmly and patted Annie on the hand before turning back to her folder, "Two weeks is a long time. You're heading back to Washington tomorrow according to my notes. This will be our last session, Annie, before the Agency-appointed liaison resumes your care at Walter Reed." _

_ Annie's eyes followed the doctor's hand and nodded slowly, "That's right."_

_ "Annie," Dr. Weiss shifted in her chair, her eyes full of concern as she leaned forward, "Tell me about what happened in the gym."_

_ Annie frowned and cocked her head to one side, "Stretches mostly-"_

_ "Annie," Dr. Weiss warned as she leaned back in her chair, "Don't mistake me for a fool."_

_ Annie sighed heavily and ran a hand through her hair, closing her eyes in the process as though that would protect her from what came next, "I knew he'd been there when Ben kissed me. He was more distant after that. In the gym, he was hitting the heavy bag. I watched him with his former unit. I remembered when they'd first arrived. I pulled my side, I fell to the ground, he was there like he always is. I got angry. Said some things. He left. When he came to my room later he said he was recalled to Washington. End of story."_

_ "Have you spoken to him since he left?"_

_ Annie's gaze shifted to another part of the room as she blinked away tears, "No."_

Dwelling on the past serves no purpose. She'd spent nearly two years in a fog after Ben Mercer unceremoniously left her alone on a deserted island. She'd pined for him and wondered if he would ever return to her life. _The truth is complicated_. If she had only truly understood what those words meant she would have stayed as far away from Langley as possible. Turning on her cellphone she ran her index finger over the contact list, pausing briefly over Auggie's name and moving on down the list until she found the number she was looking for then hit send.

_"Smithsonian Institution, how may I direct your call?"_ a familiar baritone answered and immediately Annie did the only sensible thing she could think of; she hung up the phone.

"What am I four?" Annie hissed as she picked up the phone and hit send once again.

_"Smithsonian Institution, how may I direct your call?"_ the baritone voice once again answered, only this time his tone was infinitely more clipped.

"I need to speak with the Head of Acquisitions," Annie responded evenly, knowing that he would certainly recognize her voice.

_"Of course,"_ he responded in a tone matching her own, _"One moment."_

* * *

><p>When dealing with a particularly wild animal, the smart thing to do would be to back away slowly and leave it to its own devices. Should one <em>have<em> to interact, it was best to come bearing a peace offering of some kind. For lions and tigers, well, anything raw would suffice. Bears might actually enjoy salmon. For the cantankerous Head of Tech Ops the only peace offering was a nice, strong cup of coffee.

"Coffee at your 11 o'clock, Auggie," Stu announced as he brushed his right hand against Auggie's to signal his presence.

"Stu!" Auggie smiled as he pulled off his headphones, his hand reaching for the coffee, "You _are_ a God's send!"

"Figured you'd need it. You were here most of the night," Stu chuckled nonchalantly as he made is way back to his desk.

"The code was particularly difficult to break. I didn't want to leave until it was done," he replied tersely as he sipped the ambrosia tentatively to test its heat.

"Yeah, it was a bear. Did we get anything?" Stu simply chose to acknowledge the lie by perpetrating it because _everyone_ in the DPD knew that Auggie stayed late for only one reason.

Auggie frowned as the phone to his right rang, a ring tone specifically designed to alert him to Annie's cover line, "That's the Smithsonian line."

Stu couldn't hide his surprise, "Answer it!"

"Smithsonian Institution, how may I direct your call?" Auggie answered as he hit a button on the phone.

There was a 5 second pause, then Auggie slammed the phone back into its cradle. Stu immediately wished that he had somewhere else to be. A briefing. Cambodia? Maybe even the Jersey Shore.

"What is she four?" Auggie remarked as he threw his hands up in the air as the phone began to ring again and this time his tone was less than hospitable, "Smithsonian Institution, how many I direct your call?"

_"I need to speak with the Head of Acquisitions_,_"_ her voice filled his mind for the first time in weeks and it sounded empty, hollow.

"Of course," he responded flatly, reminding himself of good intentions as he fought the desire to talk to her, "One moment."

Good intentions. Right. _To hell with good intentions._

* * *

><p>Joan Campbell pinched the bridge of her nose and attempted to clear her mind before picking up the phone to speak with her wayward agent. Her behavior in recent weeks had surprised everyone, though in<p>

_"Joan."_

"Annie. This is a surprise," Joan kept her tone even despite her internal desire to chastise the younger agent.

_"I've been preoccupied,"_ Annie responded flatly, no venom in her voice only resignation.

"Yes, I imagine you would be," Joan remarked with a slight bite to her words.

_"I'll be arriving in DC tonight," _Annie explained, deciding that the best thing for this situation would be to rip the band-aid off completely, _"I'm being assigned to Walter Reed for the next two weeks at which point I will be reassessed."_

Joan flinched slightly at her words and frowned, "You're _what_?"

_"My flight leaves in three hours."_

"I can have someone at the airport-"

_"No!"_ Annie interrupted, her voice slightly panicked, "_I can manage the airport on my own."_

"That _isn't _the point, Annie," Joan narrowed her eyes as she looked out over the bullpen and into Tech Ops where Auggie was once again immersed in his spycraft.

_"I am informing you as my _employer_. The Agency monitors my movements and I thought it best to explain otherwise I'm certain I'd find myself in another compromising situation."_

"Don't do this Annie!" Joan warned, shaking her head as though the woman was in the same room.

_"I will report to Langley in two weeks-"_

"What will you do when he finds you that you're _in_ DC?"

"Joan-"

"_No_ Annie!" Joan snapped, her eyes flaring as she slammed her hand on the desk, "No! He doesn't deserve this. He _will_ find out. What do you think it will _do_ to him then?"

The only sound on the other end of the phone is the sound of Annie's slight breathing, _"I'll notify you when I land in DC."_

* * *

><p><em>"Annie,"<em> Joan sighed as she closed her eyes, _"you will regret this._ _Please think this through."_

Annie felt the tear slide down her cheek, "Thank you Joan."

In the two years she'd spent at Langley, Annie was never out of contact with Auggie for more than a day at a time. These last two weeks were miserable. It was like all of the laughter and the light was sucked out of her very existence. She had to remind herself to wake up in the morning, to brush her teeth, and to comb her hair. Everything was a chore. Dr. Weiss explained that she suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and that those feelings were natural, but could be managed with time. She wanted to crawl into bed for the next two weeks and disappear. Of course the Agency would never just allow that to happen. After all, Ben Mercer tried and look at the fiasco that created for her. She wished that she'd never met that blue-eyed devil and she further wished that she'd let him die Guam. Closing her eyes once again she allowed the coolness of the window in her room pull her once again into her own thoughts.

_ "Tell me about your relationship with Agent Anderson," Dr. Weiss demanded boldly, her pen tapping noisily against her clipboard._

_ "All you need to know about him is in that file, Dr. Weiss," Annie told her frankly and folded her arms across her chest._

_ "I'm _trying_ to help you, Annie," Dr. Weiss sighed as she handed over the manila folder, "Why don't you tell me what's _not_ in here."_

_ Annie took the folder reluctantly and opened it to the operative data sheet. She felt the air rush out of her lungs in a way that was unexpected the moment her eyes fell upon his picture. _Auggie._ She felt the lump begin in her throat as the tremors began in the tips of her fingers. Then her teeth began to chatter loudly, her eyes frozen forward as her mind slowly began to go in a direction that she certainly didn't want to go._

_ "What is it about this picture that haunts you?" Dr. Weiss asked as she once again took Annie's hands in hers._

_ "I'm sorry?" Annie blinked, pulled from her moment of panic._

_ "What are you not telling me, Annie?" she asked quietly as she closed the folder then placed it on her desk._

_ "It was all an elaborate scheme, or so I'm told. The intel came from inside the Agency. The set up wasn't just for me or for Ben, it was for Auggie too," she whispered, her eyes wide with horror._

_ "What do you mean?"_

_ "They sent me to Afghanistan to draw Ben out. He has a knack for running from the Agency and they think that I will drop everything—well, I did. I proved them right by just jumping in with both feet. Do you know how that makes me feel?" Annie's eyes sparked in anger as she pulled away from the doctor and rose to her feet._

_ "Tell me."_

_ "I am expendable to them. A pawn. Ben Mercer is their precious Golden Boy who knew too much and they don't _care _who they destroy in the process!" she yelled as she threw her hands up on the air._

_ "What does that have to do with Agent Anderson?"_

_ "They knew about our friendship. How close we were. They purposefully didn't read him in Dr. Weiss. I knew it was wrong when they told me, but good ol' Annie listened anyway," she hissed as she folded her arms across her chest, "Good ol' Annie. God and country. Naïve." _

_ "You placed your trust in them."_

_ "Yeah, well look where it got me!" Annie fumed as she turned to face one of the numerous pictures in the office, "Damn near got me killed and could have gotten _him_ killed too."_

_ "Agent Anderson tracked down Ben Mercer in Montreal but my understanding is that no one was hurt."_

_ Annie turned towards the doctor slowly, her face a mask of emotions, "It was a _set up_. Someone wanted to send a message."_

_ "To whom?"_

_ "They placed me in his unit," Annie stammered nervously, changing subject momentarily as she swallowed the lump in her throat, "Do you know that they came to see how I was doing? He never expected to see them, you know? I'll never forget the look on his face."_

_ "Tell me."_

_ "He looked terrified and elated and haunted all in the span of 30 seconds. I wanted-" Annie stared off into space as she recounted her feelings easily and then just as quickly became quiet._

_ "Go on."_

_ Annie shook her head slowly, her eyes slowly dimming as she sank back to her chair once again folded her hands in her lap, "There really isn't anything else."_

_ "You wanted to protect him," Dr. Weiss pushed as she placed a firm hand on Annie's and patted gently, "Just like you wanted to protect him from the pain of losing you. Just like you're trying to protect him now by pretending you don't know what happened shortly before your extraction."_

_ Annie pulled back quickly and blinked, "Wha-"_

_ "I watched you both interact from your first day here. He was patient and he didn't push you at first, but he saw through the lie. You remembered. I've heard the exchange. He could have easily played it for you, but he knew because he'd been exactly where you are Annie. I doubt he thought anything of your exchange with Mercer – at least not regarding you. He tried to get you to tell the truth the night before, didn't he? He pushed you to tell him the truth. His frustration was palpable," Dr. Weiss interrupted as she stood from her chair and crossed over to her desk to pick up a new pen._

_ "You've been _spying_ on us?" Annie sneered, her eyes flashing dangerously._

_ "Have you ever asked yourself why Agent Anderson stayed behind when the others – Joan and even Ben – left? Of course Mr. Mercer returned albeit for questionable motives."_

_ "Auggie is my best friend," Annie mumbled as she clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white._

_ "He's your handler, Annie," Dr. Weiss continued clinically as she reclaimed her seat in front of the blonde, "Yet, in the time that you've known him has he ever shown the devotion to other operatives that he has to you?"_

_ Annie felt her breathing increase, the feeling of panic rising in her chest, "Auggie has never lost an operative-"_

_ "No, but he did decide to take matters into his own hands when he thought he lost _you_," Dr. Weiss remarked softly, "Who are you trying to protect, Annie? Him? Or you?"_

_ "It was a message for _me!_ A reminder that I had to do _exactly _as they wanted me to do or those around me would be hurt. _He_ could have gotten himself killed!" Annie snapped as she rose from her chair so quickly that it fell to the ground with a loud thud, "I didn't ask for that! I don't want him to be hurt any more than he already is! He had to deal with this! Coming here! Seeing them! All I'll have is a scar!"_

_ Dr. Weiss smiled sadly, glad that finally they were getting somewhere, "Yes, and he lost his vision."_

_ "It's not fair!" Annie wailed as she paced the room, her eyes wild as she placed her hands on her hips, "Every minute here was a reminder for him! He didn't say it, but I knew it. He forgets that I can see it in his face. I know him so well that it hurts! I did this to him! _I_ did."_

_ "No, Afran Falat Khani is the man responsible for the loss of August Anderson's sight," Dr. Weiss corrected as her eyes followed Annie with every step._

_ "He would have never come back here if not for me," Annie whispered as the tears flowed freely down her face._

_ "He would not have reconnected with his brothers if it were not for you," Dr. Weiss slowly rose from her chair and walked over to the agitated woman, "If he could have chosen anyone other than himself to watch over you in that God forsaken place, it would have been one of his unit. It gave him peace. _You_ give him peace. You're simply too caught up in the fear of the moment to realize that what you said to him _mattered_ whether you lived or died. You _meant_ it, Annie. You can't run from it forever. Just like you can't continue to be bullied. You are stronger than that, Annie Walker."_

She had pieced most of it together long before Ben and Jai returned with the intel. It really didn't take a genius to figure out that she'd been played. The sad part of it was that she seemed to accept it just like she'd accepted any other major milestone in her life. She just moved on. Shrugged her shoulders. Maybe she wasn't nearly as strong as everyone made her out to be and right now she really could use the shoulder of her best friend.


	7. Chapter 7 Listen to Your Heart

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** Ok. I think one more chapter after this one. :) So much angst...lol I told myself ages ago that I'd never succumb to so much of it, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it.

A thank you to zoraya h – thank you for your lovely comments! :) Even if I can't respond, they do mean a lot. Hopefully you enjoy this one as much.

**Song:** D.H.T – Listen To Your Heart (Edmee's Unplugged Vocal Edit)

**Chapter 7:** Listen to Your Heart

_**Later that evening...**_

As the wheels touched down on the tarmac at Washington-Dulles International Airport Annie was jerked awake by a not-so-graceful landing. She groaned as she moved her stiff muscles, cursing herself for falling asleep the moment she'd left Germany. Eight hours of immobility and she would be incredibly sore in the morning when she arrived at Walter Reed for the next bout of physical therapy. As the plane taxied from the runway to the terminal she felt the familiar feeling of dread begin to coil in the pit of her stomach. Joan's words played over and over in her mind. _Am I doing the right thing?_ Annie slid out of her seat, slowly rising to full height, and reached for the overhead compartment careful to not jostle her tender ribs. Pulling her suitcase down with little difficulty, Annie pulled up the handle and leaned against it, her mind miles away from where she stood. Some say it's the journey and not the destination that is important when looking back on one's life. Annie thought those people were full of shit and certainly never had to face down a radical insurgent in the blindingly white hot desert heat. This mission had left scars in more than one place and a part of her simply wanted to bury her feelings rather than face them. Dr. Weiss opened a whole new can of worms in their last few sessions and Annie was drained emotionally. She felt raw. Like her skin had been scrubbed with a scouring pad. All she wanted to do was find a hot bath and curl up in her own bed.

She made her way through the terminal with ease, her bag rolling slowly behind her, and finally after several minutes arrived at the taxi stand. Digging into her purse she pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. There were no texts. No voice mails. She didn't expect any, of course, because no one except Joan Campbell knew she'd be arriving back in the city today. She knew that she should have called Danielle to let her know her travel plans. Her sister had been the most vocal about her job keeping her away from her family for so long. Truth be told Annie didn't want to deal with anyone at the moment. She grabbed the first cab she saw, pulling the door open and sliding inside across leather seats that had seen better days.

"Georgetown," she told the cab driver, her voice devoid of any emotion, as she handed him a slip of paper containing her address.

"Sure thing," he responded with a nod in the rear view mirror, putting the vehicle in drive and pulling out into the flow of traffic.

As Annie leaned back into her seat she listened to the light patter of rain on the windows. A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips as she allowed the memory of the last time the summer rain kissed her skin.

_Annie threw her arms out wide and lifted her head up to the clouds, the rain soaking her instantly. Her laugh echoed through the park as she began to twirl around in circles uncaring that her clothes clung to her like a second skin._

_ "I always knew there was something off about you, Walker!" Auggie called out over the low rumble of thunder as he stood bone-dry under the protection of a black umbrella._

_ She turned around sharply, a wild smile plastered to her face, and rolled her eyes, "C'mon Auggie! It's only a little rain!"_

_ "A little?" he scoffed as he held out a hand only to be pelted with giant drops, "If this keeps up much longer we'll need to find out where Noah is building the Ark."_

_ "Ha ha!" she smirked as she walked through the growing mud, her Louboutins squelching with every step she took._

_ Auggie put a hand to his chest as she came closer, a serious look falling over him causing Annie to stop in her tracks, "A little respect for my favorite heels, Annie!"_

_ Annie smiled again, mischief in her eyes as she closed the gap between him and leaned forward so that her lips were barely against his ear, "Don't worry Auggie. I have a spare."_

_ Unable to stop himself, Auggie bellowed at her sultry joke and shook his head with mirth, "C'mon Walker. You're getting me all wet."_

_ Annie bit her bottom lip and quickly grabbed the umbrella from him, taking three steps back before he could catch her, "Now you know how it feels!"_

_ As the rain pelted his head, his normally unruly curls simply fell limp against his face. Annie watched as he seemed to melt, his clothes sticking to his body as he raised an eyebrow in surprise. She felt bad for a moment until she managed to sneak up behind him and wrap her arms around his middle._

_ "C'mon Auggie. Live a little. What's a little rain between friends?"_

_ Auggie shivered involuntarily as she purred in his ear, her cheek resting against his shoulder blade as her fingers laced together at his abdomen, "I better not smell like wet dog or there will be hell to pay."_

_ He could feel her smile against his skin and heard her take a deep breath, "Nah. Just like a wet Auggie."_

_ She let him go so quickly he nearly fell backward, her laughter trailing after her as she once again channeled her youth by jumping in a puddle. When she looked back at him, the sparkle in his eye as he managed to retrieve the umbrella (though Annie would never understand _how_ he did it) and the wide smile on his face told her everything she needed to know._

Annie watched as the cab pulled away from the curb and she dug her hands into the pockets of her khaki pants. The impulsiveness she'd felt when she'd knocked on the glass separating her from the driver seemed to have worn off and she wished that she'd had some liquid courage. _Alcohol never solves anything but a little of it goes a long way to beginning the work._ Frustrated, Annie kicked a small rock in front of her and began to walk down the sidewalk towards the front entryway. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own or the NSA had finally developed that method of mind control that had been rumored for years. Shaking the cobwebs in her head she was about to turn around when the front door opened.

"Annie!"

Annie stopped short and smiled at the older man before her, "Mr. Santini! It's good to see you!"

"What are you doing out here at this late hour?" the graying Italian man quickly walked over to her and pulled her into a hug, "We haven't seen you lately."

Annie winced at the bear hug but managed to keep her hiss of pain to herself, "I've been out of the country."

"Such a glamorous job you have at the Smithsonian," he smiled, his chocolate eyes sparkling under the street lamps, "He's not the same when you're not here, if you don't mind an old man intruding on your personal life."

She smiled and then frowned, "Auggie does just fine without me, Mr. Santini."

"Sweet girl!" Mr. Santini laughed and patted her on the hand, "If you believe that then he is not as smart as I thought he was. Go on now. He came home about an hour ago. Oh don't think I don't know the coming and going of my favorite tenant. Of course, if you tell Mrs. Latrel on 3 that I said he was my favorite I'll say you were lying."

Annie chuckled as the older man walked her to the front door and let her in without another word. She waved goodbye and started the long journey towards the elevator at the end of the hall. The only sound in the building was the squeak of her rubber soles. Doubt began to creep in the closer she came to the elevator and she realized that she was afraid of what he would say with her showing up on his doorstep. _He's your best friend._ Annie stopped for a moment, her finger poised to press the button to call the elevator, and looked down at her feet as a swell of guilt hit her in the center of her chest.

_"So now you know what happened to my unit,"_ _he told her as he took a swig of his beer._

_ Annie gazed at the picture for a while before handing it back to him, her face wracked with emotion for the man sitting in front of her, "Thanks for telling me."_

_ He felt the corner of the picture touch his fingertips and he took in a deep breath, "Thanks for helping me."_

_ She watched him retreat into himself for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the story he'd just shared, but just like that he snapped back to himself and asked her for another round. Glad to move past the heaviness of the conversation she flagged down the waitress._

_ "I have a question for you," he grinned as he set his beer bottle on the table, "How'd you get Franka's cell number?"_

_ Annie giggled and put her hand on his arm, "A girl's gotta have her secrets."_

_ Leaning back he finished the last of his beer and shook his head, "Not good enough Walker."_

_ Annie shrugged as the waitress set two more bottles on the table, "Called in a favor with the NSA. You're not the only one who has friends everywhere."_

_ His eyebrows raised into his hairline as his eyes danced with mirth, "That's some favor, Walker."_

_ Annie took a sip of her beer and attempted to keep her voice steady, "Well, you always have my back. Besides, you're just not _some_ operative. You're Auggie."_

That she found herself standing in front of his doorway was not surprising. That she'd been standing there, unmoving, for the last 15 minutes was more than a little unnerving. Her eyes were forward and her fist poised to knock, but she couldn't bring herself to follow through. It was like that time when she was 13 and needed to swim in the deep end to pass her test, but was so unnaturally afraid she stood in the shallow end for nearly 2 hours before she was able to take the plunge. _It's just like that, Annie. Just knock on the damned _door. She pulled her hand back to knock just as the door slid open to reveal a face she'd not seen in weeks.

"Damn it!" he growled, his cane in hand as he stuck his head out, "I don't know what the _hell_ you want but I know you've been standing here for 15 minutes. I may be blind but I'm not stupid."

She underestimated the impact it would have on her to see him after so long. He'd once told her that being blind faces and colors cease to have meaning, but if a memory was strong enough it stayed with you forever. She watched as his eye narrowed and body stiffened as he undoubtedly smelled her signature perfume. Fear gripped her and she tried to turn on her heel to make a strategic escape when she felt a firm hand on her wrist. She watched as his face turned from anger to confusion.

"Annie?" he asked, his voice rough with emotion as though he were afraid to be mistaken.

Annie turned around to face him, plastering a smile to her face that she knew would be lost on him and fought to keep her emotions at bay, "Yeah."

"What are you doing here?" he asked quickly, his face registering joy and then slipping back into confusion as he gripped his cane so tightly she could see the whites of his knuckles.

"I don't know," she whispered honestly, her entire body drooping in defeat as she searched his face for any sign that he wouldn't make her suffer the way she'd made him suffer.

"Please tell me you're not AWOL," he groaned as he attempted to make light of the situation in a way that only Auggie could, "Because that is _very_ much in character for you."

Annie found herself looking down at her shoes, guilt seeping through every pore, "No. I was released this morning. Assigned to Walter Reed for follow up."

Auggie took in a deep breath, his face and body tense as he stepped to one side, "Well, you're here. We may as well have this conversation inside."

This apartment was exactly as she remembered it, but then again she had not expected anything different. He was a creature of habit and she had a tendency to throw his carefully constructed world on to its axis. She felt the first tremor begin in her fingertips and immediately the white hot anger flared as she wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to steady herself. _God damn it! What is wrong with me? This is Auggie for God's sake!_

"When?" Auggie asked sharply, his eyes revealing the quiet fury he was undoubtedly feeling under the surface.

She knew he would be angry, but it caught her off guard so hell bent on keeping herself upright that she couldn't even think straight, "T-today."

Auggie's eyes narrowed as he crossed his living room with ease, pausing at the couch, "You didn't think to say anything?"

Annie flinched and bit her lower lip, "I didn't want anyone to know."

"But you told Joan," he relayed sharply as he regarded her demeanor with concern, but refusing to take any more of her half truths.

"I had to," she whispered as she felt her breathing start to quicken, a sure sign that a panic attack was going to follow.

"Why didn't you tell _me_?" he asked quietly, his anger giving way to the hurt he felt at being dismissed.

A sob escaped from her lips as she strode toward the door, "This was a mistake."

"God damn it!" he roared causing her to stop mid-stride, "Stop _running_ from me Annie!"

"I am _so_ sorry Auggie!" she whispered, blinking away the tears, "I can't do this! I just can't!"

Auggie grabbed her by the shoulders, his face revealing the pain he felt at the sting of her words, "You just don't _get_ it, do you? Annie, I _understand._ That feeling that you're hidden deep inside yourself and the walls are closing in on you – that you want to claw your way out, rage, scream, and run as far away as fast as you can all at the same time. The need to protect _everyone_ from _you_ because in your mind it's your fault. If _anyone _understands what you're going through it's me, Annie! I'm still your best friend. I'm still the guy you take to baseball games and Thursday night dinners at your sister's so you can avoid awkward set ups. I'm still the guy who will be in your ear for _every_ _single mission_ because I will _always _have your back. I will _always_ come for you, Annie. _Talk _to me. No more lies and half truths. I _love _you, Annie Walker. Don't you _dare_ ever doubt that."

Silent tears streaming down her face, Annie leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace. In that moment she realized that she had been running from the moment she thought her life had ended that day nearly six weeks ago on the battlefield in Afghanistan. Her therapist had attempted to have her confront her major feelings of guilt, but made her understand that she could not fully recover without sharing those feelings with the one person she'd attempted to avoid. No matter _what_ demons he faced himself, he always put her needs above his own. Calm, sensible, patient, social, exuberant, willful, dominant – her Auggie. Her Saint Bernard. Life, for her, changed inextricably the moment he introduced himself to her on her first day at Langley. _Why throw it all away?_ She raised her head and looked up into his eyes, concern reflected across his features as she motioned for him to sit on the couch behind them.

"Putting on that gear made it real to me," she told him quietly, a frown marring her features as she once again leaned against his shoulders, "Until that moment it was just a story. I had no frame of reference. I could feel angry _for_ you. I could feel sad _for_ you. I couldn't _know_ what it was like. Watching them react to the first IED was like a horrific dance choreographed to perfection. They were so attune to each other and yet their mission was to ensure my safety. On the outside they remained calm. Brave. Inside I was terrified. I was _not _brave. Someone pulled me from the Humvee and pushed me towards the rendezvous. I never got his name, but it was like you were there beside me. Protecting me like you always do. The second IED blast killed him instantly and threw me back several feet. I remember wondering if this was how you felt. It was an out of body experience. I thought for sure that it would be over then and I was ready to give in. Then I heard your voice in my ear for real I was relieved. I knew that I was hurt. I could see the blood. But at least I knew that I'd be with you for the last moments. I could tell you just how much you mean to me. I needed you to know that I loved you as much as I suspected you loved me. When I woke up I felt guilty. Why did I survive unscathed when so many died? Why did you lose your sight and I just broke a couple of ribs? I was so angry! All I was to the 7th Floor was a pawn to be sacrificed in their attempts to secure Ben Mercer. Knowing what it did to you, well, I wanted to protect you. I didn't want anything to happen to _you_ because of _me_. I love you too much."

Auggie stroked her hair gently and placed a kiss on top of her head, "Annie, I've long come to terms with losing my eyesight and, at the risk of sounding like a bad romantic comedy, losing you would be far worse."

Annie sniffled against his shoulder and then giggled, "Groan. Eye roll."

He flashed her one of his winning smiles, his hand moving to gently cup her face, "C'mon Walker. Shut up and kiss me."

His lips ghosted over hers in a slow, tentative tease before connecting in such a tender way that Annie couldn't help but feel her chest constrict. He tasted tentatively with his tongue and Annie opened her mouth with a small whimper. He tasted of minty mouthwash and something uniquely Auggie. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than she could imagine but with every swipe of his tongue she could feel every ounce of emotion radiate from him. Annie's hands fumbled for his t-shirt, her hands longing to feel contact with his skin, and the moment she found her prize she found herself being lifted into the air. Without breaking his kiss, Auggie carried her into his bedroom and set her softly on the bed careful not to jostle her tender ribs. He lay next to her, pulling away slowly as he splayed his hand on her abdomen, and shook his head.

"Annie, no," he said in a strangled voice as his fingertips reached out to touch her face.

Annie flinched, the tears returning as she fought to remove herself from his embrace, "I see."

He chuckled lightly as he gently kept her from moving away from him, "No, you don't. You're emotional right now and I _won't_ take advantage of you. I _want_ you, Annie Walker, but not like this. Not when you're so vulnerable."

Annie leaned back against the pillow, the scent of Auggie wafting upward calming her, and took in a ragged breath, "Can I stay with you?"

Her request made her seem so small and he knew that it took a lot for her to ask, "I never intend to let you go, Annie. I thought that was a given."

She giggled uncharacteristically and laced her fingers between his, "Can't turn off the flirt, can you?"

Positioning himself on his back, he pulled Annie into an embrace and kissed the top of her head, smiling into her hair, "Flirting with you never gets old. Sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"Auggie?" Annie yawned as she heard the click of his bedroom light turn off, her eyes closed as she placed her hand over his heart while her head nestled in he crook of his arm.

"Yeah?"

"I love you," she whispered, a weight lifting from her shoulders with her admission.

He smiled in the darkness and stroked her hair, "It goes without saying, Annie, that I love you."


	8. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Covert Affairs...I could only BE so fortunate as to create such fabulous characters!

**Author's Note:** I am humbled. Over 100 reviews! Thank you to all of you who reviewed (zoraya h, pearlofeuphoria, jade-angel5, Gonzo76, Griffinesque, scubagurl22, RLBB, Jtrevizo, peanutmeg, alice2104, kcarter1, call2wrshp, bndiniowa, imtweetybird, Miss-Gypsy-of-Creativity, kiwibrazillian99, Millemini, GarnetFox, LittleMissIsabelle, MuttsandMoggies, Queequegg, liferscove2118, babyluv360, Spyridon, FB, zebraboymom, Cynthus, Angels-heart1, Hmtaylor, EnsignRo, LeighJ, jgirl6281, cloudydays, BaltimoreJaxs, Kimberly-A, SakuraMoon8, splashes-of-silver, and Morgan – hope I didn't forget anyone and if I did I apologize!)! I enjoyed talking to each and every one of you! :) To those who Alerted and didn't review...I thank you too! :)

The end is satisfying to me (and this is probably T+ at the moment, but not enough for an M – at least I certainly don't think so). So without further ado...

**Song:** Lifehouse - Everything

**Chapter 8:** Everything

_**An undisclosed time in the future...**_

A moment of truth is a critical or decisive time on which much depends: a crucial moment. Auggie once explained that a single brave individual's action can change the shape of war and, while no one can predict how one might react in a crisis, if the choice was cowardice or bravery there was only one option. Feeling the steady rhythm of a heartbeat beneath her ear in that unique state of consciousness right before becoming fully aware. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she inhaled deeply, her senses alive with a feeling associated with protection and comfort. Of home. As a small beam of sunlight caught the corner of her eye, Annie Walker slowly traced the lines of his well-defined abdomen memorizing him in a way that only he had memorized her. These were the moments she cherished the most before life became hectic and reality intruded upon their carefully constructed cocoon.

"Five more minutes," he grumbled as he arched into her touch, rolling toward her and pulling her closely to him as his unruly curls tickled her forehead.

Annie chuckled softly as she wrapped her arms around his waist, allowing her fingertips to ghost over his strong back and kissed his chest right above his heart. She felt his lips connect with the top of her head signaling his gradual acceptance that morning had indeed come. When his own fingers began to roam over her back, sliding over her shoulders to trace a sensual line down her arm only to retrace their paths, it was clear that he was in a playful mood.

"Auggie," she whispered as her body shivered beneath his touch, her eyes closing as she slowly became lost in the sensations.

His lips brushed over the sensitive curve of her neck tracing a path up to her ear where he whispered, "Five more minutes, Annie."

Annie placed her hands flat against his chest, gasping involuntarily as he latched onto a particularly sensitive spot at the base of her neck, "You are _not_ a five minute man, Auggie."

A husky chuckle in her ear sent another chill straight to her core as the infuriating man ignored her protestation and continued to explore her neck at his leisure. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to become lost in his touch. Every moment of every day felt like this when she was with him. He knew every single inch of her – body, mind, and soul. He always had from the moment he'd retrieved her on her first day at Langley. To admit _any_ of that, of course, would only cause the object of her affection to say something sarcastic in an attempt to minimize her embarrassment for having thought it or uttered it in the first place. That was her Auggie. _Her_ Auggie. In one crucial moment she had almost thrown it all away.

_The moment Annie opened her eyes the events of the previous night came flooding back. Her heart plummeted as she remembered knocking on Auggie's door (well _attempting_ to anyway) and being discovered. She'd told him everything. Every fear and every thought she'd had while in Germany. Fear coiled low in her belly and immediately felt embarrassed by her behavior. Swallowing the ever present lump in her throat Annie attempted to slide out of bed only to find that she was being held firmly in place by a rather strong grip._

_ "I could hear the wheels turning," came the sleep laden voice of the man beside her, his face still buried in his pillow, "You're a noisy thinker, Walker."_

_ Annie froze at his words and tried to sit up but found his grip only tightened, "Let me go, Auggie."_

_ "Nope," he told her as he rolled to his side, pulling her closer to so that her body molded against his allowing him to rest his chin on top of her head._

_ "Auggie!" she cried out, her eyes going wide as he held her firmly and maintained a steady, even cadence to his breathing._

_ "Stop running, Annie," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head._

_ She could feel the beat of his heart through her shirt and felt all of the fight go out of her. Shifting her body around so that she could face him, she looked into his eyes and could only see the love and concern he felt for her. This was the crucial moment when she realized that no matter what dark thoughts she had in her head, he would always be there to pull her back. This was the crucial moment when she realized that it was all right to let him._

With an impressive display of athleticism, Auggie managed to roll Annie onto her back and settle between her legs without even releasing her neck from the assault by his lips. Annie groaned thinking that once again he simply enjoyed showing off entirely too much. Her arms circled around his back as she wrapped a leg around his waist in an attempt to break his single-minded concentration.

"Auggie," she sighed as his lips began to travel over her clavicle to her breastbone and then slowly downward, "You're distracting me!"

She felt his smile upon her skin as he nipped the tender flesh, "That _is_ the point, Annie."

Running her fingers through his hair she rolled her eyes, his lips continuing their exploration between her breasts and down to her abdomen, "Appointment. Soon."

"Shhhh," the low rumble in his chest made her toes curl, "I told you five more _minutes_."

_Five more minutes. When the stakes are high it seems like time runs at a stand still. Annie's leg bounced slightly as she once again glanced from her watch to the brass wall clock high above Arthur's secretary's desk. The clock was a relic from the Cold War, reliable but distinctly lacking in fashion sense with its large numbers mocking her. It had to be broken. Every time she looked up it seemed to be exactly 10:55am. She was going absolutely stir crazy! She opened the folder one more time and began to peruse the contents in a futile attempt to distract her from the fact she was going to destroy that clock if it didn't _move_!_

_ "Director Campbell will see you now, Agent Walker," Arthur's secretary announced sweetly as the damned clock clicked to 11:00._

_ Annie huffed, pasted a faux smile on her face, and rose from her chair with as much grace as she could muster after plotting the demise of a Cold War era clock. If the situation before her weren't so critical she probably would have laughed at her internal monologue – or was it dialogue. _Focus Annie._ She made her way inside the large office and nodded to Arthur who sat behind a large, mahogany desk and to Joan who sat directly in front of him._

_ "Annie," Arthur acknowledged as he motioned for her to sit, "Welcome back. To what do I owe the pleasure?"_

_ "This," Annie tossed the file at him, wondering at the prudence of such an action then dismissing it just as quickly, and sat in the chair adjacent to Joan._

_ Joan raised an eyebrow as she watched Arthur slowly pick up the file folder, "Do you care to explain?"_

_ "That folder contains a full account of what happened to me in Afghanistan including the origin of the intelligence allegedly sent by Ben Mercer requesting my presence," she stood tall, rigid, and her voice was calm and even._

_ "I've read the report, Annie,"Arthur shrugged as he slid his finger under the cover but pausing before flipping it open, "That doesn't explain why you're here."_

_ "Call off the dogs, Arthur," she told him evenly, "I know the intel was planted by NCS as a means to cause Ben Mercer to surface. It worked once so why not do it again?"_

_ Joan frowned as her eyes met Arthur who, for his part, looked sufficiently surprised by this revelation, "Did you know about this Arthur?"_

_ Arthur shook his head slowly as he opened the folder, his face darkening with anger, "No."_

_ "There is also a communique from an unnamed NCS operative that authorized the attempt on Auggie's life in Montreal," Annie revealed clinically even though every fiber in her being wanted to leap across the desk and pummel Arthur Campbell despite his lack of involvement in the entire sordid situation._

_ "Wha-what?" Joan raised an eyebrow, flinching slightly as her face suddenly became tight with unleashed fury._

_ "The thought was if his life were in danger I might be more amenable to securing Ben Mercer," Annie told them matter-of-factly as she clasped her hands in front of her body, "I suppose that was the only thing NCS got right in all of this."_

_ Arthur frowned as he perused the evidence, "I had no idea-"_

_ Annie held a hand up to stop him and turned to Joan, "I know. But this ends now. Never again. I hand over Ben Mercer and you make it clear to the DNI that there _is_ no relationship with that man that I care to have."_

_ "You have Ben Mercer?" the shock in Arthur's voice was not lost on Annie, "He eluded us in Germany."_

_ "I know," Annie smirked, her eyes flashing dangerously, "He didn't elude me."_

_ "You _have_ Ben Mercer?" Arthur repeated as he rose from his chair, his palms flat on his desk as he searched her face for the answer._

_ "Who do you think gathered that intelligence?" Annie shrugged and looked at her nails in a move that could have _only_ been influenced by the Head of DPD Tech Ops._

_ "Where?" Arthur virtually salivated._

_ "In writing," Annie told him as she tapped her finger on the desk before leaning back in her chair, a feeling of satisfaction washing over her._

_ "Done," Arthur smiled as his eyes grew wide with the possibilities._

_ "There's no guarantee he won't run off again," Annie remarked as she rose from her chair and straightened her pencil skirt, "Ben is his own man. I won't be dragged into his spy-soap spera-shit again."_

_ "Of course, Annie," Joan answered for Arthur as she, too, rose from her chair and reached out to squeeze the younger woman's shoulder."_

_ Annie nodded to Joan appreciatively before turning back to Arthur one last time to deliver one final message, "One last thing that I want known before I leave you to draft that letter. If _ever_ the Agency thinks to use my relationship with Auggie to further its own agenda or to harm him in any way...I will show you just how dirty I'm willing to get."_

_ In that critical moment, Arthur and Joan Campbell recognized that it was better to have her on _their_ side than against them. Besides, who they really wanted was Ben Mercer and Annie had neither the time nor inclination to waste another moment on the man. Yes, he'd saved her life several times but he'd endangered it because of his reckless choices. He never meant to cause her pain and harm, but that was exactly what he did. If it's one thing that Annie Walker knew it was that she didn't want to hurt anymore._

Annie squirmed under his skillful ministrations and tried in vain to wriggle out of his grasp. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the attention, but she had something on her mind that she needed to talk about before she drove herself crazy. Auggie would probably tell her that she'd gone crazy long ago given that she was trying to stop him from making love to her.

"I have my answer for you," she told him quickly and his entire body stiffened at the words.

He looked up from his position at her abdomen, a look of confusion marring his face as he tried desperately to figure out what she meant, "Ok, you lost me."

"I can't keep doing this, Aug," she told him quietly, the tears stinging her eyes as she searched his face for understanding.

Sighing heavily he rolled off of her, capitulation that his fun was now over (for the moment), and he pulled her close to his heart once again, "You're going to need to speak in complete sentences."

Annie moved so she could look up at his face, her hand gently tracing the line of his jaw, "I love you Auggie Anderson and I'm _tired_ of hiding."

He frowned for a moment, then cocked his head to one side, "Spell it out for me, Annie girl because I _am_ a guy and we don't do subtle."

"I want to marry you-"

"We _are_ married," Auggie chuckled as he captured her lips in his for a quick kiss.

"If you count a clandestine wedding with only Joan, Arthur, Jai, and Stu as our witnesses as a _wedding_ then you're right," she huffed and rolled her eyes, shifting again so she was on her back and his arm lay across her waist.

"What are you saying, Annie?" he asked quietly, afraid to get his hopes up because this was a conversation they'd had time and time again over the last couple of years.

Annie took a deep breath and placed her hand over his heart, "I've been offered a position at Georgetown as a fully tenured professor of linguistics."

"Annie that's-"

"I've accepted. I start in the fall," she cut him off by placing her finger to his lips, "I don't want to be the covert wife of the _very_ overt Director of the Office of Congressional Affairs."

"Hallelujah!" he breathed a sigh of relief and once again pinned her beneath him as his lips resumed their roaming.

"Hey!" she frowned and pushed against him which earned her a hearty groan from her husband, "What do you mean by that?"

Auggie sighed as he captured his wife's face between his two hands, forcing her to meet his eyes in a way that would unnerve most, "I learned a long time ago, Annie, that sometimes you just have to figure things out on your own. You've never failed to see things my way in the end."

Annie opened her mouth to protest but decided that this called for drastic measures. With a smirk worthy of her husband, her fingers found their target and began to mercilessly tickle him. He flinched, rolling off her in an instant as he laughed loudly and attempted to capture her hands in his. Annie, seizing the advantage, straddled his waist and then leaned forward to capture his lips in hers.

"I love you Auggie Anderson," she murmured against him.

"And I love you Annie Anderson," he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his beautiful wife.

There was only one truth that he felt like acknowledging in that moment as he felt her body pressed against his – if he were to die in this very moment, he would die a happy man. Of course, he'd be even happier in five more minutes...well, maybe twenty...or thirty..._Oh hell, you get the point_...


End file.
